The former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau, Kwabena Adu Boahene, and his wife have filed a defamation lawsuit against the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, over statements made during a press conference held on March 24, 2025.
In the suit, the plaintiffs alleged that Dr Ayine’s public remarks falsely portrayed them as criminals and fraudsters who had embezzled state funds and engaged in money laundering.
They added that these accusations have severely damaged their reputations and caused distress, public ridicule, and emotional harm, particularly affecting their children, who have reportedly faced taunts in school.
“The defendant also published the full written text of the defamatory material on the worldwide internet,” the suit states, adding that the video of the press conference has been widely circulated on social media and news platforms, resulting in sustained negative public opinion against the couple.
The plaintiffs claim that Dr Ayine, acting outside his constitutional mandate, deliberately sought to tarnish their image in the court of public opinion without due process.
They further alleged that his comments were made “recklessly and without regard to candour,” and that he worked in collaboration with the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to arrest and detain them without allowing them to present their side of the story.
The statement of claim lists several grievances, including:
- Publicly branding the plaintiffs as criminals before any court ruling.
- Disseminating false allegations about the plaintiffs’ travel history and financial dealings.
- Violating national security laws by exposing sensitive matters.
- Using media theatrics to determine their guilt and suggest custodial sentences prematurely.
The plaintiffs argue that these actions were driven by malice and an abuse of authority, designed to cause maximum reputational harm.
They are therefore seeking the following reliefs:
- Exemplary and punitive damages against the Defendant for publishing and/or broadcasting highly offensive, defamatory material of and concerning the Plaintiffs in his press conference dated the 24th day of March 2025.
ii. An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant from further publishing and/or broadcasting or causing to be published and/or broadcast the said or similar words defamatory of the Plaintiff.
iii. Costs, including lawyer’s professional fees.
