Adu Boahene trial: Justice Achibonga gives Atta-Akyea one more day to conclude cross-examination

The Accra High Court has granted counsel for the accused persons in the trial of former National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director-General, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, an additional day to complete the cross-examination of the fourth prosecution witness.

The court, presided over by Justice Francis Apangabuno Achibonga, granted the request after defence counsel Samuel Atta Akyea and Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai approached the bench at the close of proceedings on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, seeking more time.

In granting the request, the court noted that counsel had previously been given several extensions to conclude the cross-examination.

Cross-examination focuses on bank accounts

Mr Atta Akyea continued his questioning of Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) investigator Frank Marshall Cromwell, with particular focus on bank accounts operated by the National Security Coordinator and the then Bureau of National Communications (BNC), now known as the NSB.

The witness told the court that investigations established that the National Security Coordinator wrote to Fidelity Bank in 2017 to facilitate the opening of an operational account for the BNC.

He said the Coordinator was listed as a co-signatory to the account alongside the then Director of the BNC.

Mr Cromwell further testified that BNC Communications Bureau Limited opened accounts with UMB in 2018 and 2020.

He said investigations did not uncover any letter from the National Security Coordinator authorising the opening of the accounts, unlike the Fidelity Bank account.

According to the witness, the private company had the first and second accused persons as directors. He added that the second accused denied knowledge of the company when questioned by investigators.

Three cheques questioned
The defence counsel also questioned Mr Cromwell about three cheques amounting to GH¢27.1 million, GH¢1 million and GH¢21 million drawn on the Fidelity Bank account.

The witness said investigators did not find request memoranda, payment vouchers or other supporting documents authorising the issuance of the cheques.

He told the court that the Head of Finance of the NSB, Edith Adumua Opokua, informed investigators that the first accused had instructed her to prepare the cheques.

However, Mr Cromwell said he could not identify any specific request made to the NSB that supported the issuance of the documents.

When asked whether he could determine from any authorising document the purpose for which the three cheques were issued, the witness responded in the negative.

“No my Lord. Because no such document came into our possession during our investigation,” he said.

Questions over account transactions
Mr Atta Akyea also scrutinised transactions in the National Security Coordinator's Fidelity Bank account.

Mr Cromwell acknowledged that the account recorded numerous transactions, including cash deposits and withdrawals, but said he could not establish whether cash transactions constituted the dominant activity on the account.

He further admitted that investigators had not conducted a correlation between deposits and withdrawals in some of the accounts under investigation.

When asked whether investigators had examined why private individuals deposited funds into an account described as a public account, the witness maintained that there was nothing unusual about the account.

He explained that the account was considered a public account because it was opened at the instruction of the National Security Coordinator, who was also a co-signatory.

The witness also admitted that investigators had not established whether funds deposited by private individuals into the National Security account, including monies from accounts linked to the accused persons, were subsequently refunded.

He further said there were no outstanding advances requiring reconciliation in relation to the transactions.

The court has adjourned the case to September 2, 2026, for the continuation of the cross-examination.