The actions and comments of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, seem to set him on a collision course with a retired justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Clemence Honyenuga.
The retired judge has been presiding over the trial of former COCOBOD Chief Executive, Dr. Stephen Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo as well as Agricult Ghana Limited, who are facing 27 charges, including willfully causing financial loss to the state and contravention of the Public Procurement Act in the purchase of Lithovit liquid fertiliser between 2014 and 2016.
In a recent interview with journalists, Godfred Dame criticized how the case has been handled.
“We have witnessed the failure of the High Court to resolve the Opuni trial for the past six years. This is simply unacceptable. It is unacceptable for such a case to stay in court for six years when other more complex cases of murder are speedily resolved,” the Attorney-General lamented.
Mr. Dame has on different platforms, publicly commented on this very trial.
LOT OF NOISE
His position that the case has delayed as well as similar comments made by other members of the ruling New Patriotic Party attracted a response from Justice Honyenuga who is sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge.
During the last sitting at the High Court on Wednesday, February 8, the judge retorted: “I must state that it is very unfortunate that his case cannot again proceed at a time a lot of noise being made that this case has delayed.
“Others have stated that this case having been delayed for six years when in actual fact this case started on 16th March 2018 but the actual hearing started in May 2018, wherein lies the six years?” he quizzed.
The court was however forced to adjourn hearing of the case to February 13 because the second accused was absent due to ill health.
“Furthermore, it is a fact that I have limited time to hear this matter and it is with a heavy heart that I have to adjourn this case today,” the retired judge intimated.
Meanwhile, Justice Honyenuga is wondering why the Attorney-General would send people to go to a health facility to ascertain whether an accused person is receiving treatment there or not.
Lawyer, Nutifafa Nutsukpui, holding brief for Benson Nutsukpui for the second and third accused, had told the court that although Mr Agongo was scheduled for a review a day before the adjournment day, he was delayed from morning to evening between 4:00pm and 5:00pm at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He linked the delay to the Attorney-General calling or sending his officers to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to verify whether the second accused was indeed receiving treatment from the health facility.
The counsel explained that it was after his client returned home from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital that very evening that he was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital in the night.
While on his feet, he told the court that he is reliably informed that MRI scan and other tests were being run on him.
Justice Honyenuga was therefore compelled to call for explanation from Godfred Dame.
Principal State Attorney Stella Ohene Appiah, who represented the Attorney-General on the day, was therefore ordered “to find out from the Attorney General whether or not he sent any person or persons to verify whether second accused attended the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on February 7, and report to this court on the next adjourned date”.
Meanwhile, the retired judge has ordered the second accused person to produce to the court medical report on his admission at the 37 Military Hospital.
He further ordered the registrar of the court to go to the 37 Military Hospital to find out whether the second accused is on admission at the said hospital.