Lawyer for former National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director General, Kwabena Adu-Boahen, and his wife, Angela Adjei Boateng, have accused the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) of unlawful detention and excessive bail demands. According to his lawyer, EOCO is demanding a GHC120 million bail for Adu-Boahen and GHC80 million for his wife, despite their clients not being formally charged with a crime.
Speaking on ABC News GH, lead counsel Samuel Attah Akyea criticized the law enforcement agency for detaining Adu-Boahen since Thursday and arresting his wife when she visited him.
“My clients are not accused persons; they are suspects because their statements have not even been taken. Yet, they are still behind bars, violating the 48-hour rule,” he said, vowing to challenge the actions in court.
Akyea also expressed concern over EOCO’s alleged refusal to allow private consultations with his clients, making it difficult to offer legal advice.
“How can the Attorney General (AG) discuss plea bargaining when he has not even heard from my client? This is not how due process works. Lawyers must be given confidential space to engage their clients,” he stated.
AG’s Remarks Spark Controversy
The legal team also took issue with Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine’s public comments linking Adu-Boahen to an alleged $7 million cybersecurity fraud case. The AG alleged that funds meant for a national cyber defense system were misappropriated, but the defense argues that making such claims before a formal court hearing is prejudicial.
In a statement, the legal firm Zoe, Akyea & Co. condemned the AG’s press engagement, calling it a “prejudicial public conviction” before any formal charge. “The power to investigate any Ghanaian for alleged offenses must be exercised professionally, not politically,” the firm stated.
The lawyer also emphasized that fair investigations must be free from “razzmatazz and propaganda”, cautioning against media trials. “A suspect must first be charged before being subjected to public scrutiny,” the statement added.
EOCO, AG Overstepping Boundaries?
Akyea argued that the Attorney General is acting as both prosecutor and judge, in violation of constitutional law. “The AG is not a judge in his own right. If their so-called sacrosanct evidence fails in court, they will have defamed people for nothing,” he said.
He also accused EOCO and the AG’s office of conducting investigations in the media instead of the courtroom. “You don’t find serious investigators showcasing cases in the public domain before trial. Proper investigations should be done quietly, and the findings tested in court,” Kyea added.
Political and Legal Experts Weigh In
Dr. Samuel Afriyie, a political scientist at Kumasi Technical University, has also weighed in on the controversy, calling for professionalism in handling corruption cases. He criticized the Attorney General for making public declarations before trial, stating, “Justice must be pursued through due process, not media briefings.”
He also warned against government officials using investigative bodies to settle political scores. “Ghana is a law-abiding nation, and cases must be handled fairly and transparently,” he added.
The legal battle is expected to intensify as Adu-Boahen’s defense team prepares to challenge EOCO’s actions in court.
