There was a dramatic turn of events in court on Friday, July 18, as Mildred Donkor, one of the key accused in the GH¢49 million National Signals Bureau (NSB) scandal, declined representation by prominent lawyer and New Patriotic Party (NPP) figure, Samuel Atta Akyea.
Mrs. Donkor, who is facing charges alongside her husband and former NSB Director-General Kwabena Adu-Boahene, made the declaration during proceedings before the Criminal Court in Accra, requesting that she be assigned a different legal representative.
In open court, she told the presiding judge that she does not wish to be represented by Mr. Atta Akyea, who has been acting as counsel for all the accused persons in the high-profile corruption case.
“I do not have a lawyer,” she stated, despite Mr. Atta Akyea’s presence in the courtroom. She further requested that the court assign her new legal counsel, clearly distancing herself from the current unified legal defense.
The move drew what eyewitnesses described as a “mixed reaction” from Mr. Atta Akyea and observers in court, with speculation mounting about potential internal divisions among the accused.
According to Masem correspondent, who was present in court, the moment was tense as the judge inquired about Mrs. Donkor’s legal status and was met with her unexpected rejection of the established counsel.
The Attorney General’s Department had, in April 2025, charged Kwabena Adu-Boahene, his wife Mildred Donkor, and Advantage Solutions Limited with stealing contrary to Section 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The charges stem from alleged embezzlement of GH¢49 million during Adu-Boahene’s tenure as NSB boss, with the funds allegedly siphoned through Advantage Solutions, a company linked to the accused.
Mrs. Donkor’s decision to part ways with Mr. Atta Akyea could significantly impact the legal strategy moving forward, potentially introducing conflicting defense narratives among the accused parties.
The court is expected to reconvene in the coming days to address the appointment of new counsel for Mrs. Donkor and resume proceedings in one of the most high-stakes corruption cases currently before the judiciary.
