Dr Yaw Adu-Ampomah, the third prosecution witness in the trial in which Stephen Kwabena Opuni, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD, and Siedu Agongo, the CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited are standing trial for causing financial loss to the state has been discharged after over a year of grilling.
Dr Adu-Ampomah, a former Deputy CEO of COCOBOD and now the special advisors to the Agriculture Minister on cocoa started his marathon cross-examination in May last year after he was led by the state to give his evidence in chief in March 2019.
He has since been subjected to months of cross-examination by lawyers of the defense.
When the matter was called for the first time on today (Wednesday, October 7, 2020) after the Legal vacation Dr Adu-Ampomah was discharged after lawyer for the third accused person Agricult Ghana Limited indicated the end of his cross-examination of the witness.
The Criminal Division of Accra High Court presided over by Justice Clemence Honyenugah; a Supreme Court Justice sitting with an additional High Court Judge adjourned the case to tomorrow October 8, 2020 for the state to call its fourth witness.
This was after the Director of Public Prosecution indicated that prosecution was ready to call its next witness.
Background
The state last year filed a case of causing financial loss against Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
Charged along with Dr Opuni is one Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited.
A total of 27 charges have been leveled against them, Graphic Online has gathered
The charges are on abetment of crime and defrauding by false pretence, willfully causing financial loss to the state, contravention of the Public Procurement Act, manufacturing fertilizer without registration, money laundering and corruption by public officer.
Out of the 27 charges against them, six of them are on counts of abetment of crime namely, defrauding by false pretense contrary to sections 20(1) and 131(1) of the Criminal Offenses Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Source: Kasapafmonline.com/102.5FM/Murtala Inusah
