The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) investigator leading the prosecution’s case in the alleged GH¢49.1 million National Signals Bureau (NSB) Frank Marshall Cromwell has rejected claims by the defence that investigators failed to conduct an independent and open-minded investigation before recommending criminal charges against the accused persons.
During cross-examination at the High Court in Accra, counsel for the accused, Samuel Atta-Akyea, challenged the investigator on several aspects of the probe, suggesting that EOCO selectively pursued evidence against the accused while ignoring material lines of inquiry that could have supported their innocence.
“I put it to you that you didn’t embark on an independent and open-minded investigation in this case,” counsel said.
The investigator rejected the suggestion.
“My Lord, that is not the case. The documents presented to the court were verified information. Information gathered indicated that A1 moved funds to his personal account. His actions were very suspicious and the claims made were found to be strange,” the witness responded.
In an effort to demonstrate what he described as gaps in the investigation, Atta-Akyea questioned why investigators failed to interview key National Security officials, including the then National Security Coordinator, who supervised the account from which the disputed funds originated, and the Minister for National Security.
The defence suggested that an objective investigation into transactions involving National Security funds should have begun with the officials responsible for the account and the operational decisions surrounding it.
The investigator disagreed, insisting that such interviews were unnecessary because the investigation centred on the movement of funds as established by documentary and banking evidence.
He told the court that he did not engage either the former National Security Coordinator or the Minister for National Security, maintaining that the evidence gathered from financial records sufficiently established the movement of the funds. He further testified that transfers relating to purchases from ISC Holdings did not have the authorisation of the National Security Coordinator.
The witness also maintained that all relevant documents and exhibits obtained during the investigation were handed over to the prosecution and that no material line of inquiry was ignored.
According to the investigator, evidence gathered established that the first accused, in his capacity as Director-General of the then Bureau of National Communications (BNC), transferred GH¢49.1 million from state accounts into other accounts and used part of the funds for his personal benefit. He added that investigators also found evidence linking some of the transfers to the benefit of the second accused.
The witness testified that the investigation began after EOCO received a tip-off alleging that the first accused had transferred GH¢49.1 million into his personal account at UMB Bank.
The defence also questioned the chronology of the investigation, suggesting investigators had reached conclusions before obtaining the relevant documents. The investigator disagreed, explaining that requests were sent to several institutions, including Fidelity Bank, UMB Bank and the Ghana Immigration Service, and that responses were received on different dates.
When questioned about statements made by the Attorney-General during a public press conference on the case, the witness declined to comment, saying his responsibility was limited to conducting the investigation.
The investigator further confirmed that EOCO maintains a “Diary of Action” documenting every investigative step and that it ordinarily forms part of the duplicate docket submitted to the Attorney-General for legal advice. However, he acknowledged that the Diary of Action was not included in the prosecution’s disclosures before the court.
Earlier, the court admitted into evidence the investigator’s witness statement filed on June 2, 2025, together with a supplementary statement filed on June 18, 2025.
The case was adjourned to Tuesday, July 7, for the continuation of the witness’s cross-examination.
Background
Former National Signals Bureau Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene and his wife Angela Adjei Boateng are standing trial over allegations that GH¢49.1 million intended for the procurement of cyber defence infrastructure was diverted from state accounts into private accounts and entities.
The prosecution alleges the transfers amounted to the misappropriation of public funds, while the accused persons have denied wrongdoing.
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