Supreme Court dismisses bid to bar judge in GHS49m Kwabena Adu-Boahene trial

The Supreme Court has dismissed a motion seeking to disqualify Justice John Eugene Nyante Nyadu from presiding over the trial of former National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director-General, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, who is accused of causing a financial loss of GH₵49 million to the state. A five-member panel, chaired by Justice Avril Lovelace Johnson, unanimously ruled on Tuesday, October 29, that the application lacked merit and failed to meet the legal threshold required to prohibit a trial judge. Adu-Boahene and his wife, Adjei-Boateng, are facing multiple charges, including defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering. They allegedly diverted GH₵49 million meant for software procurement into their private company through a web of firms linked to ASL. Both have pleaded not guilty and are on bail. Through his lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, Adu-Boahene petitioned the Supreme Court on October 22 to stop Justice Nyadu from continuing the case, citing alleged bias. He argued that the trial judge had shown partiality by ruling certain evidence inadmissible and by setting what he described as “unusual” court hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Supreme Court, however, held that the claims of bias were unsubstantiated and that Justice Nyadu’s management of the case did not violate the defendant’s right to a fair trial.