The Accra High Court has decisively rejected a significant legal attempt by former National Security Bureau (NSB) Director General, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, and three co-accused individuals. The application, which sought access to decades-old National Security records, was dismissed by Justice Eugene Nyadu Nyantei on Thursday, July 3. Adu-Boahene’s legal team, led by Samuel Atta Akyea, had argued that these documents, dating back to 1992, were crucial to exonerate their clients from criminal charges and expose what they termed “selective prosecution.”

During the proceedings, Atta Akyea vehemently accused the Attorney-General’s office of deliberately “cherry-picking” disclosures and concealing evidence that could absolve the accused. He asserted that the state’s selective revelation of parts of the National Security Coordinator’s Special Operations account necessitated a comprehensive scrutiny of records spanning six different administrations, from Rawlings to Mahama. The application, initially filed on June 23, specifically requested operational financial accounts of the National Security Secretariat for nearly three decades, asserting these were vital to unmask a “politically motivated” prosecution.

However, Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem Sai swiftly rebutted the request, labeling it a “fishing expedition” that lacked any substantive connection to the actual charges against the defendants. The core of the prosecution’s case revolves around allegations that Adu-Boahene, Angela Adjei Boateng, Mildred Donkor, and their company, Advantage Solutions Limited, misappropriated public funds. Specifically, they are accused of illicitly transferring money from a government account to a private company they secretly owned.

Following the judge’s dismissal of the application for national security records, Atta Akyea made a final plea for a brief adjournment. He requested time to “digest” the ruling and evaluate the possibility of an appeal or a stay of proceedings, emphasizing the need for unhurried justice. Dr Srem Sai, however, remained firm, urging the court to proceed with the substantive trial as scheduled for July 18. The courtroom was charged with tension, as Atta Akyea maintained his accusations that the prosecution was “hiding documents” while pushing for what he described as a “hasty trial at all costs.” With the motion now dismissed, the stage is set for what is anticipated to be a contentious trial, with the question of whether Adu-Boahene’s team will ever access the documents they believe hold the key to their defense, or if those secrets will remain undisclosed, potentially extending the legal battle beyond the courtroom in the coming weeks.