Opuni closes case, Agongo to open defence

Counsel for Dr Stephen Opuni, a former Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Samuel Codjoe, has told an Accra High Court that his client will not personally testify, and that they will close their defence.

He said as indicated earlier to the court, if satisfied with the evidence of the witnesses, Dr Opuni would exercise his right not to testify personally.

Dr Opuni and Agongo, a Businessman and CEO of AgricultGhana Limited, are facing 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the State, money laundering and corruption by a public officer in contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

Dr Opuni is standing trial with Seidu Agongo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Agricult Ghana Limited, an agrochemical company.

State prosecutors have accused the two of causing a financial loss of more than GH¢271 million to the state in a series of lithovit foliar fertiliser transactions.

It is the case of the prosecution that the fertiliser was substandard and has accused Agongo of allegedly using fraudulent means to sell the fertiliser to COCOBOD for onward distribution to cocoa farmers.

The prosecution has further accused Dr Opuni of using his position as the CEO of COCOBOD (November 2013 to January 2017) to facilitate the alleged acts of Agongo by allowing the lithovit liquid fertiliser not to be tested and certified as required by law.

Dr Opuni and Agongo have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on self-recognisance bail in the sum of GH¢300,000 each.

Mr Codjoe said his client was satisfied with the evidence presented by the witnesses in his defence before the court and would not personally give evidence.

Meanwhile, Agongo will at the next adjourned date open his defence through some subpoena witnesses, including Dr Francis Baah from the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)-Bunso, Paul Adjei Gyan, EOCO Head Office and Madam Fiona Gyamfi of the Ghana Standards Authority.

Others are Madam Bernice Debra Ashong of COCOBOD, Jerome Dogbatse, CRIG-Tafo, and Reverend Father Odei.

The case has been adjourned to February 15, 2024.