A new and potentially game-changing element has emerged in the high-profile criminal trial of former Signals Bureau Chief Kwabena Adu Boahene.
In a bombshell revelation, his lawyer, veteran private legal practitioner Samuel Atta Akyea, has disclosed that he has spoken to former Minister of National Security Albert Kan-Dapaah and that the former minister has provided an explanation for his client’s actions in relation to the GH¢49m cybersecurity saga.
The Attorney-General, Dominic Ayine, has dragged Mr Adu Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei Boateng, to court over corruption offences amounting to GH₵49 million.
Together with two others, Mildred Donkor and Advantage Solutions Limited, they are facing charges of 11 counts of offences, including stealing, money laundering, defrauding by false pretences, and wilfully causing financial loss.
In an interview with TV3, Mr Atta Akyea was asked directly if he had spoken to the former Minister.
His response was emphatic: “I have.”
He immediately underscored the significance of Mr Kan-Dapaah’s involvement.
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“[Kan-Dapaah] is a very critical individual in the matter; he has explained to me why my client did what he did,” Atta Akyea said.
When pressed on whether the former minister’s explanation was justifiable, the lawyer responded with confidence, “Why not justifiable?”
The case, which has garnered national attention due to its focus on the inner workings of Ghana’s security apparatus, involves charges of conspiracy to steal, stealing, and money laundering.
Mr. Adu Boahene and his three co-defendants are accused of illicitly acquiring and distributing state-owned assets, including confidential information and equipment, during their tenure.
The alleged crimes are said to have caused significant financial loss to the state, with preliminary estimates running into millions of Ghana Cedis.
This revelation comes as the legal team for the defense is engaged in a complex legal manoeuvre at the Accra High Court.
The court has set October 17, 2025, to rule on an application to stay the criminal proceedings against Adu Boahene and his co-accused.
A stay of proceedings is a legal mechanism that, if granted, would temporarily halt the trial, pending the determination of a separate appeal.
The defense lawyers moved the application for a stay, arguing that their appeal of an earlier High Court decision—which went against them—needs to be heard before the substantive criminal trial can proceed.
The purported exculpatory statement from Mr. Kan-Dapaah, who served as Minister of National Security from 2017 to 2024, could be a central pillar of the defense’s appeal.
It suggests that Adu Boahene’s alleged actions may have been carried out under the explicit instruction or knowledge of his former superior, thereby providing a potential justification for his conduct.
The case has been under close public scrutiny, raising questions about accountability and probity within Ghana’s national security services.
The High Court’s ruling on October 17 is expected to be a pivotal moment that will either pave the way for a full trial or grant a temporary reprieve for the embattled former signals bureau chief.