Ghana’s former National Signals Bureau director-general, Benjamin Adu-Boahen, and his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng, have been detained over allegations of embezzling $7 million in state funds, Justice Minister Dominic Ayine announced Monday.
Adu-Boahen was arrested Thursday at Kotoka International Airport upon arriving from the United Kingdom, Ayine said during a press briefing in Accra. His wife was taken into custody the following day on suspicion of complicity. The National Signals Bureau, which Adu-Boahen led until his retirement, oversees secure communication systems for Ghana’s security and intelligence agencies.
Investigators from the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) traced the misappropriated funds to bank accounts and private ventures linked to the former official, according to the justice minister. The $7 million had been allocated for cybersecurity infrastructure upgrades but was allegedly diverted to finance personal businesses, real estate, and other assets.
“Surveillance operations revealed a pattern of transactions channeling public funds into private holdings,” Ayine stated, adding that the suspects will face prosecution once the probe concludes.
The case underscores Ghana’s ongoing efforts to combat graft within its institutions. The EOCO, tasked with investigating financial crimes, has intensified scrutiny of high-profile officials in recent years.
Adu-Boahen and Adjei-Boateng remain in custody as authorities finalize evidence. No court date has been set.
