Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo are expected to re-appear in court today April 11, 2018.
An Accra High court on March 26, 2018, adjourned the trial of Dr Stephen Opuni and Seidu Agongo who are in court for allegedly causing financial loss to the state through three separate fertilizer 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.
Dr Opuni and Agongo made their first appearance in court on Monday, March 26, 2018. They both pleaded not guilty to all the counts of charges preferred against them, including willfully causing financial loss to the state and defrauding the state by false pretences.
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The Accra High Court on March 26, 2018, granted former CEO COCOBOD Stephen Kwabena Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo a self-recognizance bail in the sum of GhȻ300,000 each.
Meanwhile, Dr Stephen Opuni has filed a motion at the High Court requesting copies of 13 documents that the prosecution intends using against him in the GH¢ 217 million financial loss case.
In the motion, filed through his lawyers, Dr Opuni stated that: “I also do not have copies of any of the letters and or documents mentioned and or referred to by the Prosecution in the facts.â€
“I am entitled as of right to all facilities which the prosecution intends to use at the trial. This is to enable myself and my Counsel prepare for the trial.â€
“…I have been further advised by Counsel and verily believe same to be true that on a true and proper interpretation of Article 19(2) (e) and (g) of the 1992 Constitution, I am entitled as of right to copies of all including the contracts and numerous letters referred to by the Prosecution,†parts of the motion read.