AG withdraws charges against Dr. Stephen Opuni and Seidu Agongo in COCOBOD case

The Attorney-General, Dominic Ayine, has withdrawn all charges against Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, the former CEO of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), and businessman Seidu Agongo.

The announcement was made on Tuesday, January 28, at the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh. State Attorney Ms. Enam Loh Mensah informed the court that the AG had directed the withdrawal of all charges against the accused, leading the State to file a notice of withdrawal as per the AG’s instructions.

Dr. Opuni and Agongo were facing 27 counts, including charges of defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and corruption by a public officer. The case, which has been ongoing since 2018, centered on the alleged procurement of substandard fertilizers for COCOBOD, causing financial losses to the state.

The prosecution claimed that Agongo’s company, Agricult Ghana Limited, supplied Lithovit Liquid Fertilizer to COCOBOD under questionable circumstances, asserting that the fertilizer was substandard and had not been tested or approved for use. Dr. Opuni was accused of facilitating the deal and bypassing procurement processes, which allegedly resulted in financial loss to the state and jeopardized cocoa farmers’ livelihoods.

Both Dr. Opuni and Agongo denied the charges, maintaining their innocence throughout the trial. They were granted bail of GH₵300,000.00 each while the case was pending.

The trial was one of Ghana’s most high-profile in recent years, drawing significant attention due to its controversial nature. Throughout the proceedings, numerous witnesses, including experts, government officials, and cocoa farmers, testified. The trial was marred by claims of political undertones, procedural delays, and concerns about the strength of the evidence presented by the prosecution.

Despite the withdrawal, the State Attorney did not offer details on why the charges were dropped. The decision is expected to reignite discussions on judicial reforms, prosecutorial independence, and the handling of high-profile cases in Ghana.

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