Lawyer for former National Signals Bureau Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene, Samuel Atta Akyea, has accused the Attorney General of prejudicing the public against his clients before their case was heard in court.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Wednesday, June 3, Atta Akyea argued that comments made by the Attorney General during a widely publicised press conference created the impression that Adu-Boahene and the other accused persons were already guilty before being formally arraigned.
According to him, the Attorney General’s remarks, including suggestions that the accused should consider plea bargaining, amounted to a premature assessment of the case.
He contended that the Attorney General appeared to assume the roles of both prosecutor and judge by publicly expressing confidence in the strength of the evidence before the trial had commenced.
Atta Akyea further claimed that the narrative presented through the media had influenced public perception and created prejudice against the accused persons before the prosecution had the opportunity to prove its allegations in court.
He maintained that proceedings before the court have revealed a different picture from what has been portrayed publicly, insisting that the facts emerging during the trial do not align with the narrative that dominated the media space.
The comments come as Adu-Boahene faces trial over allegations that he misappropriated GH¢49.1 million in state funds connected to a cyber-defence software procurement contract.
Meanwhile, the case recently saw a significant development after the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court ruling that had denied the defence access to additional disclosures. The appellate court ordered prosecutors to provide documents requested by the defence but declined a request for the publication of National Security account details covering multiple administrations.
The Court of Appeal also rejected an application for a stay of proceedings, paving the way for the trial to continue at the High Court.
