Opuni trial: 7 cocoa regional managers lobbied for more liquid fertiliser - Witness

Mr Peter Okyere­Boateng, a seventh defence witness has told the Accra High Court trying the alleged COCOBOD financial loss case that all regional managers of seven cocoa regions of the country lobbied for more sup­ply of lithovit liquid fertiliser.

Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Co­coa Board (COCOBOD), was charged together with Mr Seidu Agongo, the Managing Direc­tor of Agricult Ghana Limit­ed, a fertiliser manufacturing company, for allegedly causing GH¢217 million financial loss to the state in a fertiliser deal.

The defence witness explained that the seven region­al managers lobbied for the fertiliser, which was then supplied by COCOBOD, because of its efficiency.

The seven cocoa-growing regions in question are Western-North, Western South, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Central, Eastern, and Volta Regions.

Mr Boateng, a former Dep­uty Director of Cocoa Health Extension Division of COCO­BOD, was answering questions in a cross-examination led by Mr Benson Nutsukpui, counsel for Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited.

The witness told the court that the regional managers had informed him that the litho­vit liquid fertiliser, which was applied on cocoa seedlings, had performed “magic” with the farms (cocoa) producing higher yields.

Mr Boateng, said as part of his duties, he met all regional managers monthly.

Asked whether the region­al managers reported to his office on matters affecting their regions, the witness answered in the affirmative.

Mr Boateng told the court that during ‘observation on the field,’ the farmers said the fertiliser was efficacious, and said that he had never met Mr Agongo and any officials from he (Agongo's) company, Agricult Ghana Limited.

In March 2016, the Attor­ney-General charged the former CEO of COCOBOD and Mr Agongo, a businessman, with 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing GH¢271.3 million financial loss to the state, money launder­ing, and corruption by a public officer.

Agongo is accused of using fraudulent means to sell sub-standard fertiliser to CO­COBOD for onward distribution to cocoa farmers. Dr Opuni is alleged to have facilitated the act by not allowing Agongo’s prod­ucts to be tested and certified, as required by law.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GH¢300,000 self-recognisance bail each.