General News of Monday, 26 March 2018Source: classfmonline.comOpuni, Agongo plead not guiltyFormer Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Dr Stephen Kwabena OpuniFormer Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni and business man Seidu Agongo, who doubles as Managing Director of Agricult Ghana Limited, have 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. The prosecution team was represented by Attorney General Gloria Akuffo and her two deputies Godfred Yeboah Dame and Joseph Dindiork-Kpenka as well as Chief State Attorney Evelyn Keelson, Principal State Attorney Frances Molen Ansah, as well as Stella Ohene Appiah, Richard Gyenbibi and Penina Asa Dankwah. The defence team representing Dr Stephen Opuni comprises Samuel Cudjoe and Johnson Normesinu. Agricult and Seidu Agongo are represented by Benson Nutsukpi, Joel Annor Afari, Emmanuel Kumadey and Jemima Dei. 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) totalling GHS217million through sole-sourcing, the state claimed, adding that procurement procedures for sole-sourcing were not followed.

Source: GhanaWeb March 26, 2018 14:15 UTC