Prosecution witness denies knowledge of missing letters

General News on Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Source: GNA

2019-02-13

Dr. Alfred Arthur, a scientist at the Ghana Cocoa Research Institute (CRIG), said that he was unaware that a committee had discovered that Oye Hellen Koranteng, a Expedition Clerk, sent a copy of the missing letter to Agricult.

In response to the question posed by Mr. Benson Nutsukpui, counsel for Mr. Seidu Agongo, the witness was questioned about the question of whether he knew the committee set up by the CRIG to investigate the missing letter had also discovered that a budget and an invoice corresponding to the sum of GH 21, 482.00 ¢ were attached to the letter sent, but the witness replied in the negative.

Stephen Opuni, former CEO of COCOBOD, and Seidu Agongo, CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited, are charged with 27 counts, including fraud under false pretenses, deliberate financial losses to the state, money laundering money, corruption of a public official offense under the law on public procurement.

They both pleaded not guilty and are released on bail of 300,000 GHAC.

Mr. Nutsukpui asked the witness if he knew what the committee had done to his knowledge. The witness responded that committee members had gone to the CRIG Soil Science Division to review the fertilizer files.

"You may not be aware that the committee discovered that a check for GH ¢ 21 482.00 was provided to the Health and Cocoa Extension Division (CHED) by Agricult Ghana Limited", Nutsukpui asked, but the witness could not confirm that statement.

He also inquired as to whether the witness knew that the board had found copies of invoice number PRIN4062, which was the invoice attached to the missing letter, on the computers in the CRIG account section, but the scientist stated he was not aware.

Mr. Nutsukpui suggested to the witness that the Evans' animation committee had discovered the existence of the budget and the bill in the CRIG files, but the witness said, "My Lord, I am not aware.

He added that all the documents had been found under the custody of the CRIG and attached to the report, but the witness stated that he was not aware of this information.

The council announced the disappearance of the letter under the reference number CRIG 39/14 Vol. 196448 was due to the fact that the letterhead of CRIG also described the product as being a liquid fertilizer for Lithovit, but the witness stated that he had not seen this letter.

Mr. Nutsukpui stated that the CRIG erasers were supposed to cover product descriptions as Lithovit Liquid Fertilizer, the witness stated that he could not confirm this information.

Judge Clemence Honyenugah, trial judge, judge of the Court of Appeal, sitting as a judge in the High Supplementary Court, then adjourned the trial to Monday, February 18 for continuation.