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Dr Stephen Opuni, former CEO of COCOBOD, called for the trial period for agrochemicals and fertilizers to be used by the board to be shortened.
Chief Inspector of Police, Mr. Thomas Prempeh Mercer, the investigator for the trial, told the court.
Mr Prempeh said that Dr Opuni, in giving the directive to the scientist from the Ghana Cocoa Research Institute (CRIG) present at a meeting, said the suppliers had abused the monopoly they enjoyed and were charging fees. high prices on their products.
He said that Dr Opuni held this meeting when he took office in January 2014, after his appointment in November 2013.
Mr Prempeh, the seventh prosecution witness, testified in Accra on Monday under the leadership of Ms Evelyn Keelson, chief state prosecutor.
By CRIG, agrochemicals sent to the Institute for testing must go through a minimum testing period of two years and a maximum of three years.
The investigator told the Accra High Court that on July 7, 2017, the Financial Forensics Unit (FFU), where he was a station officer, had received a petition to investigate a number of cases at the Bureau. economic and organized crime (EOCO).
He said that upon receipt of the petition, a team had been assembled to investigate these cases, which included the FFU Unit Commander, Police Chief Ms. Regina Antwiwaa Tengey, DSP JK Lodonu, Detective Inspector Prosper Theophilus Soetor and Investigator. .
He said that by taking over the role of the EOCO, there were a number of cases they were required to continue investigating, including the renovation and reconstruction of the COCOBOD Managing Director’s bungalow at Cantonments in Accra .
The remainder concerns the renovation and reconstruction of a cocoa warehouse at Kajebile in Mporhor in the Western region, the Cocoa roads, Duapa Fertilizer and Agricult LIthovit liquid fertilizer.
The team was also to investigate supply shortfalls when purchasing Lithovit liquid fertilizer purchased by COCOBOD from 2014 to 2017 from Agricult Ghana Limited and its CEO, Seidu Agongo.
The Chief Detective Inspector said that Dr Opuni, during the meeting, indicated that he was also a scientist and that the product to be tested could be compared to other products, which had similar components.
He stated on the basis of this Lithovit foliar fertilizer sent to CRIG for testing by Agricult Ghana Limited on May 15, 2013, which was referred to the Head of the Soil Science Division, Dr Alex Afrifa by the Committee for Soil Testing Chemicals and Machinery (CTCM) as the required procedure was also to be recorded and handed over to Dr Alfred Arthur in July 2013.
He stated that on May 15, 2017, COCOBOD forwarded to CRIG the Lithovit fertilizer submitted for testing by Agricult Ghana Limited in powder form along with its Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
He said he was received at CRIG, but from 2014 to 2017 Agricult Ghana Limited through its CEO, Mr Agongo supplied quantities of Lithovit liquid fertilizer to COCOBOD for use on cocoa which was not tested because the Lithovit folia fertilizer sent to CRIG for testing was powder.
At COCOBOD, the team spoke to a number of people, including senior management like Dr Yaw Adu Ampomah, who was then Deputy Director General of Agronomy Quality and Control and also Dr William Mensah, who was then Deputy Managing Director in charge of Finance.
He said the team had had a detailed discussion with them and it emerged that somewhere in 2013 Agricult Ghana Limited through its CEO, Mr. Agongo introduced the COCOBOD Lithovit fertilizer for use on cocoa in powder form with its data sheet.
He said that the team had met with Executive Director Dr FM Amoah and Deputy Rev. Odoi and during the discussion it emerged that in 2009 when the Executive Director took up his post at CRIG so that the agrochemicals and machinery tested at CRIG are credible. , he created the CTCM.
The prosecution witness said that what the committee did was check any agrochemicals or fertilizers or machinery that a supplier wanted to use for cocoa and that was the practice until Dr Opuni’s appointment.
He said that Dr Alfred Arthur, a scientist in the Soil Sciences Division of CRIG, did a laboratory test on the Lithovit fertilizer, after which he engaged the services of Siribour and Atanga for the preparation of the nursery for the plant to use.
“Lithovit fertilizer in powder form is used on a two month old nursery and after six months Dr Arthur submitted his initial test report to his boss Dr Alex Afrifa,” he said.
The investigator said that Dr Afrifa, also armed with the guidance given by Dr Opuni, wrote a final report on the test report submitted to him, with Dr Arthur stating that although the Lithovit fertilizer, which had been tested as a powder at the nursery could be applied to matured cocoa.
He stated that on January 20, 2014, instead of Dr Afrifa sending the final report to the CTCM for verification, he sent the report directly to the Executive Director of CRIG, who also forwarded it the same day to Dr Opuni.
Mr Prempeh said that Dr Opuni on January 21, 2014, a day after the report was sent to him, wrote to CRIG asking for a certificate on Lithovit and also wrote to Mr Agongo to ensure the liaison with CRIG for the issuance of the Lithovit fertilizer certificate.
Dr FM Amoah, Executive Director of CRIG, issued a certificate to Agricult Ghana Limited and its Managing Director.
He said that on February 25, 2014, Dr Opuni wrote to Agricult Ghana Limited through its managing director to send him quotes on 700,000 liters of Lithovit foliar fertilizer, which Mr Agongo did on behalf of of the company for a total amount of $ 19,250,000.
“Dr. Opuni signed a contract with Mr. Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited and the product was duly supplied, ”he added.
He said that in 2014/15, again COCOBOD through Dr Opuni bought from Mr Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited bought one million liters of Lithovit liquid fertilizer for the amount of $ 26 million.
He stated that Dr Opuni had signed a contract again on behalf of COCOBOD and that Mr Agongo had signed on behalf of Agricult Ghana Limited and the product had been duly supplied COCOBOD and duly paid for.
Again, during the 2015/16 cocoa season, Dr Opuni purchased 700,000 liters of Lithovit liquid fertilizer from Agricult Ghana Limited for US $ 19,250,000.
In 2016/2017, Dr Opuni wrote to Agricult Ghana Limited for the supply of another million liters of Lithovit liquid fertilizer, which however was not supplied as the contract was terminated when investigations started.
It was revealed that the Lithovit liquid fertilizer supplied to COCOBOD by Mr. Agongo and Agricult Ghana limited from 2014 to 2016 was not tested because the only foliar fertilizer Lithovit sent to CRIG for testing on May 15, 2013 remained the only one. Lithovit in powder form.
A sample was shown to the witness and he identified it as the sample they took from CRIG and which was sent for analysis. The trial has been adjourned until January 18, 2021.
Dr Opuni and Mr Agongo face 27 counts, including fraud by false pretenses, intentionally causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, bribery by a public official and violation of the law on public procurement.
They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are each on bond of GH ¢ 300,000.00.
— GNA
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