Opuni trial to start De Novo - Court rules

The trial of former CEO of the  Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, and businessman Seidu Agongo will start afresh, following a ruling by the new trial judge assigned to the case.

Justice Kwasi Anokye Gyimah, in his ruling today, April 4, 2023, noted that it would be unfair for the court to ignore allegations that were saddled with the case, and adopt the previous proceedings as it is. 

"In order for the court to have a first-hand information of the trial and the demeanor of witnesses, the court will start the trial 'De Novo," the judge said. 

Parties to the case have therefore been ordered to file witness statements by Friday, April 21, 2023, and the case has been adjourned to April 25, 2023, for Case Management Conference. 

At its last sitting on Thursday, March 30, 2023, parties in the case had been in disagreement as to whether the trial should be started "De Novo” or otherwise.

The state represented by Chief State Attorney, Evelyn Keelson, appearing before the new trial judge had prayed the court against starting the trial all over again because doing so according to her, will amount to injustice, and will unduly delay the case.

This was however opposed by counsels for both the first and second accused persons in the matter.

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 thus 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.