$7m cyber-defence software trial: Witness details 'Ghana Must Go' bag money movements from bank to accused persons
The first prosecution witness in the trial of former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), Kwabena Adu-Boahene, and three others, has testified that he had been withdrawing money for the accused persons for the past five years.
Mounting the witness box to testify on July 18, the chauffeur, Frank Anane Dekpey, told the court that the money was mainly in large “Ghana Must Go” bags, and each time he went to the bank, the bank staff gave him a receipt to write his name, telephone number and append his signature.
He recalled sending the withdrawn money to either Mr Adu-Boahene or Madam Donkor, but never to Madam Adjei-Boateng.
“I normally took instructions from Mildred Donkor (wife of Adu-Boahene), with the envelope sealed, to the UMB Bank Labone.
“Then I gave it to one of the employees and waited until the money was ready, then I picked it up,” he said.
In court with Adu-Boahene are his wife, Angela Adjei Boateng, and another, Mildred Donkor, a former bank relations officer for the two and director of Advantage Solutions Limited (ASL), the sole shareholder of a private company that the prosecution alleged was used to receive the GH¢49 million.
Adu-Boahene and Angela have been accused of moving GH¢49 million, meant for purchasing the software for the state, into their private company through a complex web of companies ultimately owned by ASL.
On the other hand, Mildred has been accused of assisting the couple in moving the money, which the prosecution alleged had been used to purchase landed properties in Accra, Kumasi and London.
In all, the four accused persons — Adu-Boahene, Boateng, Donkor and ASL — have pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of offences ranging from defrauding by false pretences, one count of wilfully causing financial loss to the state, one count of using public office for personal gain and one count of obtaining public property by false pretences.
Deposits
In his testimony, the prosecution witness claimed Mildred Donkor often sent him to deposit or withdraw money at UMB or Stanbic Bank to be given to Mr Adu-Boahene at his office at Labone in Accra.
He said he used to collect money from the Labone branch of UMB Bank and also made deposits and withdrawals from the Airport branch of Stanbic Bank on the instructions of Madam Donkor.
Anane Dekpey told the court that most of the time, he did not know the exact amount of money he withdrew because the cheques were sealed in an envelope and directed by Madam Donkor to be delivered to a specific staff member at the bank for cashing.
In his narration, the witness also mentioned Vertex Solutions Limited, where he made several deposits of money he had withdrawn from Stanbic Bank on the instructions of Madam Donkor.
During cross-examination, the defence lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, sought to know if the witness had worked with the National Security, to which he answered in the negative. Lawyer Atta Akyea further inquired into the arrest of the witness by EOCO.
The witness admitted that he was invited by the organisation, which he voluntarily honoured. Prosecution witness Anane Dekpey said he was detained for almost a week, interrogated and released on bail.
The witness said he was interrogated because his signature was found behind the bank receipts.
Further probing by the defence lawyer on the reason for the detention of the witness was objected to by the Deputy Attorney-General, who said the witness had already answered the question.
Meanwhile, Donkor, whom Mr Atta Akyea was representing, has decided to get a new lawyer.
