Ex-Signals Bureau Boss Accused of Diverting GHc39 million In Personal Account

The criminal conducts of the immediate past Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB) Kwabena Adu Boahen and his wife Angela Agyei Boateng have carefully been uncovered by authorities, leading to his arrest at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) last week.

At an explosive press briefing on Monday March 24, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Ayine accused Adu Boahen who is in custody with his wife, of financial misconduct in connection with a $7 million cyber defence system contract.

The contract was between Ghana and an Israeli firm, RLC Holdings Limited, and was valued at $7 million. It was secured to strengthen Ghana’s capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats, data breaches, and digital espionage.

The former boss of the National Signals Bureau boss signed the contract on behalf of the state on 30^th January 2020 however, investigations suggest that funds allocated for the project were rather diverted for his personal use.

The investigations spearheaded by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) revealed that barely a week after signing the contract, on February 6, 2020, the suspect allegedly transferred an initial sum of GH¢27.1 million from the National Signals Bureau’s Fidelity Bank account to a United for Merchant Bank account (UMB).

“In his capacity as Director of the National Signals Bureau, Mr. Adu-Boahene on January 30, 2020, signed a contract on behalf on the Government of Ghana and the National Security on one hand and on the other hand, an Israeli company named RLC Holdings Limited. The contract was for the purchase of a cyber defense system software at a price of $7 million.

“On February 6, 2020, he then transferred an initial amount of GH¢27,100,000 from the National Signals Bureau account at Fidelity Bank to a private BNC account at UMB. Official documentation on the transfer reveals that the amount was for the payment of cyber defense system software. He transferred the money to his private company.”

The said account it has emerged belonged to a private company BNC Communications Bureau Limited, which he set up jointly with his wife serving as co-directors.

Interestingly, the transaction was reportedly documented as payment for the cyber defence system software.

Dr Ayine said “The transfers from the National Signals Bureau account brought the total transfers that he made to his private NSB of GHC49 million, by the exchange rate at the time, this amount was exactly Ghana equivalent of $7 million”.

In all, it is alleged that Adu Boahen misappropriated a total of $2,217,815 million.

EOCO’s investigations led by investigative journalist and Deputy Executive Director in-charge of operation, revealed that Adu Boahen invested the alleged money in properties mainly located at La in Accra and in London in the United Kingdom (UK).

EOCO’s investigation linked Boahen to multiple properties highly rated Mayfair Estates, including No. 2 Stream Part Drive – A property valued at $1 million (GHS 15 million).

No. 6 Edith Avenue – Purchased with an initial cash deposit of $500,000, part of a deal involving five houses.

No. 7 Edith Avenue – Acquired for $200,000.  :

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General also warned all banks Mr Adu Boahen transacts business with not to move any assets or money belonging to him and his wife.

Per investigations, the A-G said, the couple have are believed to have established about 10 companies mostly by Advantage Solutions which authorities are tracking.

He disclosed that any attempt to do otherwise will be detected because, the Financial Intelligence Centre is tracking the accounts owned by the embattled former appointee of President Akufo-Addo and his wife.

He reiterated that any bank that goes contrary to the directive will have it managers held accountable.

“Investigations have also established that money mostly proceeds of crime from Advantage Solutions Limited and BNC Communications Bureau Limited and other similar sources have been transmitted under very suspicious circumstances through the bank accounts of these companies.

The investigations have revealed so far that the suspect and his wife have registered companies which we are currently tracking, there are about ten companies we are tracking that they created with Advantage Solutions mostly owning all the companies. For purposes of the investigations that is ongoing, we are not going to disclose those companies.

But I want to warn any executive, director or employee of each of the companies knowing that Mr Adu Boahen has been arrested. if they make movement of assets we will track and arrest them and prosecute them”, he said.

He continued “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.

We are monitoring their activities, and we are monitoring all their bank accounts from the Financial Intelligence Centre, with a press of a button we can see the movement of money on any of the accounts, so we are monitoring that very closely.”

There are also suspicion that the former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau, may have purchased (acquired) another citizenship from the wealth that he accumulated.

He said investigations so far show that the suspect has two service passports.

EOCO is following up on intelligence that he has a foreign passport.

“The massive wealth he has accumulated, it is possible he has purchased another citizenship. Wife’s British passport in possession of EOCO.

Kwabena Adu Boahen, was arrested by officials from the Economic and Organised Crime Office.

He was arrested on Thursday, March 20, 2025, shortly after arriving in Ghana from London Heathrow at approximately 8:30 PM on a British Airways flight.

In February after leaving office Adu Boahen allegedly attempted to evade authorities by flying out of the country. EOCO on February 25th, 2025, received intelligence that Adu-Boahen had left Ghana for the UK aboard British Airways flight BA078.

However, further information suggested that he had continued his travel to Dubai, where he had booked a return flight to Ghana on Emirates Flight EK187 for March 21st, 2025.

On March 20th, it was revealed that Adu-Boahen had canceled his flight and rescheduled his return for April 8th.

Back home, EOCO intensified their surveillance operations, predicting Adu-Boahen might have returned to London to avoid detection.

Later, the EOCO operation took a crucial turn when authorities discovered a name similar to that of Adu-Boahen on a British Airways flight, suggesting that he had altered his name in official documents.

On March 21st, 2025, Adu-Boahen was intercepted by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at the KIA as he attempted to use the Commercially Important Persons (CIP) terminal.