On 27 October, Rev. DK Odei‑Appiah, convener of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, addressed the Ghana International Press Centre to demand that Justice Francis Apangabuno Achibonga be allowed to conduct the trial of former National Signals Bureau Director‑General Kwabena Adu‑Boahene and two other accused persons without political interference.
The coalition, which includes SMART Generation Governance Hub, OmanGh Interest Advocates, Alliance of Pastors for Social and Moral Development and Agenda for Security and Social Systems, cited concerns over judicial independence, the presumption of innocence, prosecutorial responsibility and public confidence in Ghana’s criminal justice system.
Odei‑Appiah stressed that the coalition’s intervention does not seek to influence the outcome of the case but to ensure that the court relies solely on evidence and legal principles. He urged the prosecution to prove its case with credible evidence, the defence to receive full legal protections, and the judge to decide strictly on the record.
He highlighted the seriousness of the allegations, including claims of financial impropriety involving the National Signals Bureau and the acquisition of more than 50 houses by Adu‑Boahene and his wife. Odei‑Appiah warned that public statements by officials before the conclusion of proceedings risk creating the impression of a pre‑determined conviction.
The coalition also noted that the accused have challenged the sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence and that the court must assess the evidential basis for alleged unlawful diversion of public funds, the link between the accused and the transactions, and the criminal character of the conduct charged.
Odei‑Appiah concluded that no one should be above the law and that the trial must be decided on evidence, not on the magnitude of the allegations alone.
