Former National Signals Bureau boss arrested over $7 million cyber defence contract scandal

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that the arrest of Kwabena Adu-Boahene, the former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), stems from allegations of financial misconduct in a $7 million cyber defence system contract.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, March 24, Dr Ayine detailed the circumstances leading to Adu-Boahene’s apprehension, revealing that the former NSB boss is accused of diverting public funds meant for cybersecurity infrastructure.

The contract, signed on January 30, 2020, between the Government of Ghana and the Israeli firm RLC Holdings Limited, was intended to enhance the country’s digital security by equipping it with the tools to combat cyber threats, data breaches, and espionage. However, investigations suggest that the funds allocated for the project were misused for personal enrichment.

According to the Attorney-General, shortly after signing the agreement, Adu-Boahene engaged in unauthorized financial transactions. On February 6, 2020, just days after finalizing the contract, he allegedly transferred GH¢27.1 million from the National Signals Bureau’s Fidelity Bank account to a private account at Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) belonging to BNC, a company he co-founded with his wife. The transaction was officially documented as payment for the cyber defence system software.

However, further probes uncovered that instead of directing the funds toward the procurement of the cyber defence system, Adu-Boahene funnelled the money into his private business.

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

“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 defence system software. He transferred the money to his private company,” he added.

The Attorney-General further revealed that Adu-Boahene and his wife used the misappropriated funds to acquire multiple landed properties in Ghana and abroad during the period in question.

Both Adu-Boahene and his wife remain in detention as authorities intensify efforts to bring other individuals linked to the case to justice.

Dr Ayine reassured the public of the government’s commitment to tackling financial irregularities and tightening oversight measures to prevent future cases of misappropriation.