Former Spy Chief Amassed 27-Unit Apartment, Seven Homes At Mayfair Garden Despite Earning GH¢5,000 Monthly
By Prince Ahenkorah
Economic and Organised Crime Office investigators have told a High Court that properties linked to former National Signals Bureau Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahen are grossly inconsistent with his known income, as the prosecution continues building its case in the GH¢49.1 million corruption trial.
Frank Marshall Cromwell, an EOCO investigator and the prosecution’s fourth witness, testified on Wednesday that investigators scrutinised Adu-Boahen’s salary records covering 2017 to 2019. The documents showed the former spy chief earned approximately GH¢5,000 monthly in 2017, rising to GH¢6,000 in 2018 and GH¢7,000 in 2019.
Those modest earnings, Cromwell told the court, were measured against a portfolio of properties allegedly linked to Adu-Boahen and his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng, that would be the envy of far wealthier Ghanaians.
Investigators identified seven residential properties at the upscale Mayfair Garden Estate, a 27-unit apartment complex at Oyarifa Delsize Park, and another property at Dolchetser Heights in Asokore Mampong.
All identified properties have been made subject to freezing orders obtained by the prosecution as part of efforts to preserve assets linked to the case.
On March 21, 2025, Cromwell testified, EOCO investigators visited Mayfair Garden Estate together with Adu-Boahen, his wife, and their legal representatives, confirming the existence of the seven properties allegedly linked to the couple.
The investigator outlined the financial architecture that allegedly funded the property acquisitions. EOCO obtained payment records from Mayfair Garden Estate and matched them with bank transaction records.
Investigators traced a transfer of GH¢1.5 million from BNC Communications Bureau Limited’s account at UMB Bank to Advantage Solutions, after which the funds were transferred to Mayfair Garden Estate.
The transaction corresponded with one of the payment receipts obtained from the estate, Cromwell told the court, establishing a financial trail investigators believe strengthens their case.
Further investigation revealed additional payments made through bank accounts linked to Advantage Solutions, Vertex Solutions, and another company associated with the accused persons.
The Attorney-General alleges that money earmarked for a cyber defence project was diverted through private companies linked to Adu-Boahen and his wife before being used to acquire assets and other properties.
The prosecution contends that the properties and financial transactions formed part of a broader scheme to conceal the proceeds of the alleged diversion of public funds.
Both Adu-Boahen and his wife have pleaded not guilty to all charges and are contesting the prosecution’s allegations.
The trial continues today, Thursday, July 2, when defence counsel will continue cross-examining the prosecution’s fourth witness.
The disparity between Adu-Boahen’s official earnings and his property portfolio has been a central pillar of the prosecution’s case since the former NSB boss was first charged in 2023.
The case has become a test of Ghana’s ability to prosecute high-profile corruption cases involving former government officials, following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 general election.
The prosecution’s emphasis on tracing funds through corporate entities BNC Communications Bureau, Advantage Solutions, and Vertex Solutions signals a sophisticated approach to asset tracing that marks a departure from earlier, less successful corruption prosecutions.
The freezing of the properties represents a significant victory for the prosecution, as it prevents any disposal of assets before the trial concludes.
However, the defence is expected to challenge the prosecution’s ability to definitively link the properties to the alleged diversion of state funds, arguing that Adu-Boahen and his wife had legitimate sources of income beyond his salary.
The trial is being closely watched by anti-corruption advocates and political observers alike, given the scale of the alleged diversion and the prominence of the accused.
Whatever the outcome, the case has already exposed the yawning gap between official salaries and the lifestyle of senior government officials in Ghana a disconnect that continues to fuel public cynicism about the political class.