Court orders investigators to release all documents to Opuni’s lawyers

Police investigators responsible for the state’s case against Dr Stephen Opuni, Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana limited to make available all documents which would be used in the prosecution of the former Cocoa Board CEO to his lawyers.

An Accra High Court presided over by Justice Clemence Honyenuga ordered the investigators, who said they didn’t have the needed documents, to contact COCOBOD to release them to the Dr Opuni’s lawyers before July 13.

This comes after the Dr. Opuni’s lawyer, Samuel Cudjoe insisted they had not received some documents the state referred to in their charge statement and shown to them during investigations.

During the court hearing Monday morning, Chief State Attorney Evelyn Ama Keelson said they had presented all document to the accused and insisted that the documents the lawyers were asking for were irrelevant and was an attempt to delay the trial.

After listening to the arguments from both parties, Justice Honyenuga stated that in the interest of justice and being fair to the accused persons, the police investigators should contact COCOBOD to furnish them with the requested document to hand over to the accused’s lawyers before July 13.

The case has been adjourned to July 16 for the trial to continue.

Dr. Opuni, Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited, are facing a total of 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretense, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, corruption by public officer and contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

The state argues that Dr Opuni misled the Public Procurement Authority to approve single-source contracts for Seidu Agongo and Agricult to provide fertilizers at a different cost.