Opuni signed but didn’t write letter to PPA for fertilizer purchase – 4th Defence Witness tells court
Dr. Opuni and Agongo, the CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited, are on trial for allegedly engaging in illegalities in a series of fertilizer transactions which the Attorney-General (A-G) says caused a financial loss of GH¢271.3 million to the state.
Former Board Chair of the COCOBOD, Ambassador Ohene Agyekum who is the 4th Defence witness in the Opuni case has told the High Court that the letters written to the Public Procurement Authority(PPA) which sought its approval for fertilizer sole-sourcing were signed by Dr.Stephen Kwabena Opuni but not written by him.
Giving his evidence-in-chief virtually, he told the court presided over by Clemence Honyenuga JSC that all fertilizers purchased, went through the proper procedure before and even during his tenure as Chair of the Board from January 2004 to 2017.
He added that until the law was amended to make the Chief Executive the Chairman of the Entity Tender Committee(ETC), he was the Chairman.
Furthermore, the witness noted that irrespective of the changes, he still attended all meetings of the Committee.
Ambassador Agyekum also indicated that they were guided by experts and thus followed the right procedure.
He said that he knew about Lithovit as a liquid fertilizer and was aware that COCOBOD purchased fertilizers including Lithovit and Sidalco.
On the award of the contract for the purchase, he said that it was the Management but not Dr. Opuni who gave the contract.
Ambassador Ohene Agyekum was further cross-examined by counsel for Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited relative to how the Board takes its decisions.
He noted that it was very difficult for one person to make a decision on behalf of the Board during his tenure.
Further to the above, Ambassador Agyekum noted that the accused Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana could not have influenced the decisions of the Board since they didn’t attend their meetings.
Background
Dr. Opuni and Agongo, the CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited, are on trial for allegedly engaging in illegalities in a series of fertilizer transactions which the Attorney-General (A-G) says caused a financial loss of GH¢271.3 million to the state.
They were dragged to court by the A-G in March 2018 on 27 charges, including willfully causing financial loss to the state, defrauding by false pretense, contravention of procurement laws, corruption of a public officer, and money laundering.
