Accra: Justice Francis Apangabuno Achibonga recently took over as the presiding judge in the ongoing trial of Kwabena Adu-Boahene, the former Director General of the National Security Bureau (NSB), along with two other defendants. The proceedings are being held at the Accra High Court, specifically in Criminal Court 3. Justice Achibonga has succeeded Justice John Eugene Nyante Nyadu, who previously oversaw the case in the court's General Jurisdiction 10.
According to Ghana Web, the transition in judiciary leadership coincided with a critical phase in the trial where the prosecution's witness, Edith Ruby Opokua Adumuah, who serves as the Head of Finance at the NSB, faced rigorous cross-examination. Samuel Atta Akyea Esq., representing the accused, led the questioning, which concentrated on the management and allocation of National Security funds. These funds encompass various categories, such as Compensation, Goods and Services, Capital Expenditure, and Special Operations Expenditure, all administered through the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
In her testimony, Adumuah disclosed that while most expenditures, including Goods and Services, Compensation, and Capital, undergo annual audits by the Auditor-General, the Special Operations expenditures remain unaudited due to their classified nature. This revelation sparked further inquiry by Atta Akyea into the operational mechanics of the Special Operations Fund, which is overseen by the National Security Coordinator.
Adumuah acknowledged that payments to suppliers are executed in line with Public Financial Management rules, transitioning funds from public accounts to those of private suppliers. She also conceded that the National Security Coordinator is registered within the GIFMIS system as a supplier of confidential services, allowing the allocation of special operations funds to remain confidential and exempt from audit by the Auditor-General's office.