Only $1.75 million of a $7 million payment for cyber security equipment was given to the Israeli supplier in accordance with the contract, Mr. Frank Marshall Cromwell, an investigator with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), told the High Court in Accra yesterday.
In his testimony as a prosecution witness, Mr. Cromwell stated that bank records revealed that GH¢9,537,500, or $1.75 million, was transferred to ISC Holdings, the Israeli company hired to supply the equipment, following the deposit of GH¢49.1 million into the BNC Communications Bureau-Operations account on February 6, 2020.
The witness, who was led in testimony by Dr. Edem Srem-Sai, the Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General, stated that no additional payments were made to the business from the account.
He says that the first accused, Mr. Kwabena Adu-Boahene, a former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB), later took large sums of money out of the account.
Mr. Cromwell informed the court that because the supplier was not paid the entire contract amount, the state did not obtain the cyber security equipment.
He also stated in his testimony that the account was closed following a string of withdrawals, and the remaining funds were transferred to another business associated with the accused.
Allegations about a $7 million cyber defence system contract meant to improve Ghana’s ability to identify, stop, and react to cyberthreats, data breaches, and digital espionage have Mr. Adu-Boahene and others on trial.
The prosecution alleges that money intended for the project was misappropriated. The accused have denied any misconduct.
The matter was postponed until a later time for additional hearings.
Source: newsthemegh.com