In a scathing rebuke, lawyers for Kwabena Adu Boahene, former Director General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), and his wife Angela Adjei Boateng have accused Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine of egregious misconduct.
The lawyers contend that Dr. Ayine’s public declaration of their clients’ guilt before trial constitutes a blatant violation of their rights.
The controversy erupted after Dr. Ayine linked Adu Boahene’s arrest to an alleged $7 million fraud involving a cybersecurity contract during a March 24 press conference. According to Dr. Ayine, funds earmarked for a national cyber defense system were allegedly siphoned into private accounts.
In a strongly worded statement, the legal firm Zoe, Akyea & Co. denounced Dr. Ayine’s remarks as a “prejudicial press engagement.”
The lawyers argued that Dr. Ayine’s comments amount to a public conviction while investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) are still ongoing.
“The power to investigate any Ghanaian for alleged criminal offenses has no party colours,” the lawyers emphasized.
“It is a painstaking exercise to ensure that the rule of law is observed and that persons with material stakes are not unfairly targeted by those who wield the powers of the State.”
The lawyers further underscored the imperative of impartiality in criminal investigations: “All professional investigations, and not politically motivated ones, must be devoid of razzmatazz and propaganda. The suspect, who is the subject of the investigation, must first be charged before he is subjected to public trial—so that if he is innocent, he is not destroyed by prejudicial attacks and trial propaganda before his day in court. These considerations must guide our jurisprudence.”
By publicly declaring their clients guilty, the lawyers maintain that Dr. Ayine has compromised the principle of fair trial and potentially biased public perception against them.
