The Supreme Court has thrown out a motion that sought to prevent Justice John Eugene Nyante Nyadu from presiding over the ongoing 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.
In a unanimous decision delivered on October 29, 2025, a five-member panel of the court, chaired by Justice Avril Lovelace Johnson, ruled that the application lacked merit. The panel held that the motion failed to meet the legal standards required to justify barring a trial judge from a case.
Adu-Boahene and his co-accused, Adjei-Boateng, are alleged to have diverted GH₵49 million earmarked for the purchase of software for the state into their private company through a complex network of entities linked to ASL.
Adu-Boahene faces multiple charges, including defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for personal gain, and obtaining public property by false pretences. His wife has also been charged with conspiracy to use public office for personal gain, aiding in money laundering, and money laundering. Both have pleaded not guilty and are currently on bail.
On October 22, 2025, Adu-Boahene’s lawyer, Samuel Atta Akyea, filed an application at the Supreme Court seeking to prohibit Justice Nyadu from hearing the case, citing alleged bias.
The defence argued that the judge had made prior determinations about the relevance of certain evidence that could potentially support their case, suggesting prejudice and a violation of the constitutional right to a fair trial.
They further contended that the judge’s insistence on holding proceedings from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. reflected an unusual level of interest in the case that could compromise judicial neutrality.
However, the Supreme Court dismissed all these claims, concluding that there was no sufficient evidence of bias or misconduct on the part of the trial judge. The ruling clears the way for the High Court to continue with the substantive trial.
