Opuni Saga: Court Rules June 13 on Disclosure Tussle

An Accra High Court has scheduled Wednesday, 13 June 2018 to determine the specific documents to be released by the Attorney General to former CEO of COCOBOD, Dr Stephen Opuni.

The court had adjourned on several occasions as it awaited the decision of the Supreme Court in a similar case, in relation to the interpretation of article 19 clause 2 (e) and (g) of the constitution after counsel for the defendants, who are standing trial for causing financial loss, filed a motion requesting that certain documents which the prosecution intends using against them in court, be made available to them.

The Supreme Court last week determined that the defendants should be given the documents.

At Monday’s sitting, the High Court hearing Dr Opuni’s case, presided over by Justice C. J Hornyenuga, set June 13 for its ruling as it awaits a certified copy of the Supreme Court ruling.

Background

Dr Opuni, businessman Seidu Agongo and AgriCult Ghana Company Limited, are facing 27 charges of willfully causing financial loss of GHS217 to the state, through three separate fertiliser supply contracts between 2014 and 2016.

The contracts were GHS43.1million (2013/2014 cocoa farming season), GHS75.3million (2014/2015 cocoa farming season) and GHS98.9million (2015/2016 cocoa farming season) totaling GHS217million through sole-sourcing, the state claimed, adding that procurement procedures for sole-sourcing were not followed.

Source: ClassFMonline