Opuni lawsuit: Cocobod submits report to court without missing "critical" document

General News on Thursday, February 7, 2019

Source: 3news.com

2019-02-07

The committee that investigated the missing documents in the trial of COCOBOD's former chief executive, Stephen Kwabena Opuni, and businessman Seidu Agongo concluded his work without finding the most "critical" document.

After revealing that important documents in the current trial were missing or altered in the custody of the CRIG, a division of COCOBOD, the committee was instructed by the CRIG to investigate the matter.

At the last hearing of the case on January 21, the Deputy Director of Legal Affairs of COCOBOD, Mr. Johannes Velba, told the court that they had not been able to find the documents but that he had been responsible for ensuring that the commission completed its work. and submitted the report to the court by 6 February.

Although the directive was followed, the report did not locate a "crucial" document or determine who could have falsified the file containing the missing documents.

Dr Opuni, former director general of COCOBOD, and Agongo, managing director of Agricult Ghana Limited, are tried for allegedly committing acts resulting in a financial loss of 271.3 million GH in a series of commitments fertilizer.

According to the defense lawyer, the document in question clarifies the main point of contention since the beginning of the case, whether the Lithovit foliar fertilizer ( LFF), object of the process, was liquid or powdery. in nature.

The missing document dated 21 October 2014 is a letter from CRIG with the reference number CRIG 39 / 14vol.19 / 6448, requesting Agricult Ghana Limited to sponsor a training program for farmers and livestock workers. extension on the use of Lithovit liquid fertilizer.

This letter was still missing, but it is interesting to note that the committee's report to the court included an invoice billed on the missing letter, generated by CRIG's accounting department and sent to Agricult Ghana Limited.

The description of the invoice dated 21/10/2014 reads as follows: "AGRICULTURE / CRIG TRAINING / AWARENESS PROGRAM FOR EXTENSION AGENTS AND FARMERS CONCERNING THE USE OF LITHOVIT AGRICULTURAL LIQUID FERTILIZER COCOA".

Meanwhile, second and third accused Benson Nutsukpui, who were continuing his cross-examination of Prosecution witness Alfred Arthur, as well as those of the first accused, Samuel Cudjoe, requested additional time to review the report.

Ms. Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), however, pointed out that the report submitted by the CRIG clearly indicated that they could not find the document.

She did not think the two lawyers needed time to study the report when the key element of interest was missing, noting that even if the case was adjourned, the fact that the document was missing would not change and nothing would bring him back.

The court presided over by Judge Clemence Honyenuga, judge at the Court of Appeal and having additional responsibilities as a High Court judge, said the defendants did not have enough time to study the report. because they had not been served earlier.

For justice to prevail, Honyenuga J. stated that the two lawyers should be given time to study the committee's report.

The case was therefore postponed until Tuesday, February 12, 2019.