Don’t be henchmen in Opuni’s case – Sam George to Judiciary

Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Sam George Nettey has urged Ghana’s Judiciary not to turn itself into henchmen in the case in which the state has filed a suit against the former CEO of COCOBOD, Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni for causing financial loss to the state.

Dr. Opuni together with a businessman, Seidu Agongo, owner of Class Group of companies are facing 27 charges of willfully causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GHC 217million in three separate contracts for the supply of fertilisers from Germany.

They are scheduled to appear at the High Court in Accra on Friday, 23rd March 2018 for trial.

Dr. Opuni had his assets including his accounts, frozen by the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO), in February 2017. Appointed on November 30, 2013 to head COCOCBOD, he is alleged to have mismanaged the cocoa sector during four-year tenure.

Dr. Opuni who once headed the Food and Drugs Authority was relieved of his post on January 12, 2017, barely a week after the Akufo-Addo regime took office. The sack letter signed by Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, ordered Dr. Opuni to vacate his office by 5pm the following day, January 13.

Commenting on the matter on Starr Fm Friday, Sam George Nettey who was a Presidential Staff under the erstwhile Mahama administration expressed hope the Judiciary will not allow itself to be compromised in this public interest matter which has triggered critical comments from the former members of government.

“My only fear in this matter is that I hope our Judiciary will not make itself henchmen and hangmen for an excessively oppressive executive but will rather make itself the last bastion of hope for a citizenry that is under the oppression of an excessive executive. I say so because there is evidence of corruption… that is established.”

Sam George Nettey accused the government of throwing in the ‘Opuni case’ in a bid to turn the public’s attention from the corruption allegation leveled against the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) company by the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC).