Cocobod trial: Opuni files submission of no case in ongoing trial

Pulse Staff

April 29, 2021 5:12 PM

The former CEO of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Stephen Opuni, has, through his lawyers, filed a case of no submission in the ongoing trial in which he and businessman Seidu Agongo have been accused of causing financial loss of GH¢217,370,289.22 to the state.

Dr Stephen Opuni.

Mr Opuni’s lawyers argued in their submission that the state, during the trial, failed to prove the accusations levelled against him beyond reasonable.

An earlier oral submission of same was rejected by Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga, a Supreme Court judge sitting with additional responsibilities as a High Court judge, who ordered Mr Opuni’s lawyers to file their submission officially.

They did on April 12, 2021.

During one of the recent hearings on Monday, March 22, 2021, the investigator, Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Prempeh Mercer, told the high court that Dr Opuni’s salary, while in office, was “way above” the GHS25,000 deposited into his account by businessman Seidu Agongo.

Mr Mercer, who is with the Financial Forensics Unit (FFU) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, had told the court a week earlier that Mr Agongo, the second accused person, admitted to having paid the amount to Dr Opuni, the first accused person, to be used as charity for the poor.

The seventh prosecution witness maintained his story in court during cross-examination and noted that the money was well within the earning capacity of Dr Opuni, whose salary at Cocobod, according to him, was heftier than the alleged GHS25,000 bribe.

The case has been adjourned to March 2021.

The accused persons are facing 27 charges including defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, corruption by a public officer and contravention of the Public Procurement Act, in connection with the purchase and supply of Lithovit foliar fertiliser, which, according to the state, was done in contravention of several laws.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are each on a GH¢300,000 self-recognisance bail.

Pulse Staff