Ex-National Signals Bureau Director-General Embezzled ¢39 Million Meant For Software Purchase

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Ayine, has accused the immediate past Director-General of the National Signals Bureau, Mr. Kwabena Adu Boahene, of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds.

This, he indicated, led to his arrest at the Kotoka International Airport last week by National Security operatives and his subsequent detention.

Adu Boahen spearheaded the Bureau’s purchase of $7 million-Cyber Defence System software from RLC Holdings in Israel in 2020, according to the Auditor-General.

The software was at the time crucial for strengthening Ghana’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats, data breaches, and digital espionage.

Funds Diversion
All tranches of payment for the software were transferred from the national NBC account to Adu Boahen’s private company, he said while addressing the press on March 24, 2025.

“The transfer from the National BNC account brought the total transfers that he made to his private BNC account to ¢49 million. By the exchange rate at the time, this amount was exactly the Ghana cedi equivalent of $ 7 million, the exact full amount he quoted as the exact amount the RLC Holdings sold the Cyber Defence equipment to the government of Ghana.”

The payments, he noted, referenced the invoice number from RLC Holdings to the National BNC.

However, Dr Ayine noted that of all the intended payments, only the initial transfer of the ¢9.5 million reached RLC Holdings from the private BNC account.

“No further payments were made to ISC Holdings.”

He continued, “The difference between ¢49 million being the money Mr Adu Boahen transferred from the Bank Account of the National BNC to his private BNC and 9.5million being the money he actually paid to the RLC Holdings for the software ended up with him and his wife. That is to say the sum of ¢39,462,480 of taxpayers money went into their private pockets.”
The A-G said the suspect and his wife put the rest of the funds to personal use, making transfers to local third parties, for personal investments as well as transfers to unknown persons.

“Investigation also established that the proceeds from the suspect’s activities were used to buy significant landed properties and other assets of considerable value both in Ghana and elsewhere.”

Adu Boahen and other suspects will be charged in court after the necessary investigations, he announced.

He noted that the investigation is still ongoing to track the assets of the suspect and his wife as well as their companies.

Caution
The A-G further warned the executives and employees of any of the ten companies registered under Advantage Solutions Limited- owned by Mr Adu Boahen- against moving any of his assets.

“If they make movement of assets, we will track and arrest them and prosecute them.”

He also warned Fidelity Bank, UMB and Stanbic Bank financial institutions used by the suspect against facilitating the transfer of funds.

“All banks are also warned that if we see any wire transfers or cash withdrawals on any of the accounts belonging to Mr Adu Boahen and his companies, the Bank Managers and all their employees who are involved in those transfers will equally be arrested.”

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini