In a significant development, the Accra High Court has acquitted and discharged former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, and businessman Seidu Agongo, bringing an end to their protracted legal battle.
The two had been on trial for over eight years, facing 27 charges brought against them by the State, including allegations of willfully causing financial loss to the state, defrauding by false pretences, and breaching public procurement laws.
The court’s decision follows a request from the Attorney-General’s office to withdraw all charges. A State Attorney, Enam Loh Mensah, on Tuesday informed the court, “My Lord, pursuant to this, the Republic has filed notice of withdrawal.”
Seidu Agongo, the CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited, was accused of fraudulently supplying sub-standard fertilizers to COCOBOD.
Dr. Opuni, then the CEO of COCOBOD, was alleged to have facilitated the procurement by waiving the required testing and certification processes for the fertilizer.
The prosecution argued that this negligence caused poor yields among farmers and led to a financial loss of GH¢271.3 million to the state.
The trial, which began in March 2018, saw the accused persons consistently deny all charges, maintaining their innocence throughout. They were granted bail of GH¢300,000 each while the case dragged on.
The Defense’s Reaction
Counsel for the two accused, Samuel Cudjoe and Benson Nutsukpui, confirmed receipt of the notice of withdrawal.
Both lawyers expressed relief and satisfaction with the decision to withdraw the charges, emphasizing the toll the case had taken on their clients over the years.
Reacting to the news, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni attributed his acquittal to divine intervention.
In a poignant statement, he declared, “All authority belongs to the Almighty God and not human beings. And then I will add that the living God I serve has disgraced and cursed all my enemies, my persecutors, and my detractors.” His words reflected the depth of his ordeal and his relief at the outcome.
The eight-year-long trial was one of the most closely watched cases in Ghana’s recent legal history, with many questioning its impact on public accountability and the enforcement of procurement laws.
The State had charged the duo with offences that, if proven, would have carried severe penalties, including jail terms.
Despite the weight of the charges, both Dr. Opuni and Seidu Agongo remained steadfast in their claims of innocence, arguing that the fertilizer supplied by Agricult Ghana Limited met all necessary standards and that the accusations were baseless.
With the withdrawal of charges, Dr. Opuni and Seidu Agongo are now free from the legal quagmire that has shadowed their lives for nearly a decade.
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