A high-priced spy device, purchased for a staggering $3 million by a cartel within the National Intelligence leadership, intended for illegal eavesdropping on private conversations of citizens, now sits unused at the National Signal Bureau.
Obtained in 2018 under the pretext of enhancing national security, the IMSI Catcher device was actually aimed at monitoring the discussions of political adversaries by the National Intelligence Directors from the Danquah Institute.
The IMSI-Catcher, which stands for the international mobile subscriber identity-catcher, is a tool for surveilling mobile phone communications and tracking the locations of users, often employed by oppressive regimes to violate civil liberties.
Insiders at National Security disclosed to The New Republic Newspaper that a fully operational IMSI device typically costs around $300,000, a fraction of the exorbitant $3 million price tag attached to this particular ineffective device.
Allegedly, the Israeli supplier of the device, whose identity remains undisclosed, suspected the illicit motives of National Security leaders Nana Attobrah Quaicoe and Kwabena Adu-Boahene, leading them to deactivate the device, rendering it inoperable.
A confidential source characterized the spyware as mere “toys” underscoring its limited functionality following the purchase.
The procurement, orchestrated by National Signals Bureau Director-General Kwabena Adu Boahene, National Investigative Bureau Director-General Attobrah Quaicoe, and NSB Director of Operations Benjamin Ansah, is said to have been influenced by Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a powerful cousin of then-President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The Danquah Institute, a group founded by Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko with considerable sway over the National Intelligence Bureau, allegedly pushed for increased surveillance on government critics and opponents, leading to the ill-fated acquisition of the spy gadgets.
Subsequent revelations have exposed the devices as unusable, with sources suggesting that the inflated $3 million cost greatly exceeded their actual value of $300,000.
Speculation mounts that corrupt individuals within National Security exploited the procurement to inflate expenses and divert funds for personal gain.
The unscrupulous persons involved purportedly bargained for subpar versions of the spyware to lower expenses, profiting from the cost differential through illicit means.
The failed investment and implications of corruption underscore concerns about financial mismanagement and the misappropriation of resources meant for national security, emphasizing a need for investigation.
Developments on this issue are eagerly anticipated. This incident bears resemblance to prior cases of alleged public fund misappropriation, such as the imprisonment of three former National Communication Authority board members by the Akufo-Addo Bawumiah government in 2020.
The Attorney-General’s case detailed how the NDC administration allegedly engaged in embezzlement involving a $8 million deal with an Israeli company for eavesdropping equipment, ultimately leading to financial losses for the state.
As the investigation progresses, the public awaits further revelations on this troubling misuse of public resources.
National Security Cartel Blows $3M on ‘Toy’ Spyware
