NSB case: 'Denying a lawyer access to their clients violates the constitution; we're not in a banana republic' — Jerry Ahmed

Member of Parliament for Weija Gbawe, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has criticized the alleged denial of legal access to Kwabena Adu-Boahene, the former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB) and and his wife.

He argued that such actions are unconstitutional and undermine fundamental legal rights.

Speaking in an interview on Accra-based JoyNews on March 25, the 2nd Deputy Minority Whip noted that suspects must be entitled to legal representation.

“The first thing that happens to a suspect is that they must be informed of their status and their entitlement to a lawyer. That lawyer must be allowed to be present during questioning and other procedures.

“This is a fundamental principle in criminal law. To deny a lawyer access to their client is not just unlawful but a clear departure from constitutional provisions. We are not in a banana republic, for crying out loud,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Samuel Atta Akyea, lawyer for the immediate past National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director-General, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, and his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng, has described the situation surrounding his clients’ detention as hostile.

The legal practitioner revealed that during a visit to interact with his clients, he was treated unfairly, given only the detention counter to write on, while officers monitored his conversation.

In an interview on Accra-based JoyNews on Tuesday, March 25, the former Abuakwa South lawmaker described the situation as a sign that democracy in the country was “sitting upside down.”

“I didn’t even have the benefit of a table to write. They insisted that I take instructions at the counter while they listened in and recorded everything. It tells you that the circumstances are very hostile, and democracy is sitting upside down,” he said.