The Accra High Court presided over by Justice Clemence Honyenugah, an Appeal Court Judge, sitting as an additional High Court Judge has set January 9, 2020 to hear the perjury case.
The court had initially fixed December 17 for Samuel Cudjoe, the lawyer for Dr. Opuni, to move the motion for the perjury. However, due to the indisposition of counsel for Seidu Agongo who was to cross-exam the witness right after the motion for the perjury had been moved, counsel involved in the case “concerted” with the judge for a new date.
Dr. Adu-Ampomah has been testifying against former Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Dr. Stephen Opuni as well as Seidu Agongo and his company Agricult Ghana Limited who are standing trial for causing financial loss of over GH¢271 million to the state. They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GH¢300,000.00 each self-recognisance bail.
The witness who is a former deputy chief executive officer at COCOBOD in charge of agronomy and quality control had in his evidence-in-chief, in May 2019, told the court the procurement practice at COCOBOD for fertilizers had always been open tender.
This, he said, were done through advertisement in the papers where product required is specified, and companies whose products have been tested and certified by CRIG that are interested are required to support their bid with documents.
Whilst the case developed, this position was deflated as counsel for the first accused, Dr, Opuni, produced at least 18 contract documents sole-sourced at COCOBOD under the signature of the witness.
Nonetheless, Dr. Adu-Ampomah stuck to his gun as he maintained in court that COCOBOD does competitive tender as well as conceding that sole-sourcing is also used to procure fertilizers at COCOBOD.
“In some instances adverts are placed in the papers. In some other times due to the peculiar nature of some chemicals they are not but in general terms you are supposed to do. But sometimes if it is explained to PPA it could be allowed without placing adverts in the papers,” the Daily Guide newspaper quoted him as saying on its website in July.
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