The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame’s claims that the trial of former COCOBOD boss has overly delayed, appear to have attracted the attention of the trial judge, Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga.
The judge wondered how people would erroneously arrived at the conclusion that the trial has travelled for 6 years.
He therefore described such outburst as “lot of noise”.
The former COCOBOD Chief Executive, Dr. Stephen Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo as well as Agricult Ghana Limited, have been 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.
They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GH¢300,000.00 self-recognizance bail each.
But in the Attorney-General’s view, the failure of the court and judiciary to prosecute the former COCOBOD boss is unacceptable, which he said affect the fight against corruption.
“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,” he told journalists.
Mr. Dame has on different platforms, publicly commented on the trial.
When the case resumed at the High Court on Wednesday, February 8, Justice Clemence Honyenuga, who is a retired Supreme Court judge, sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, had cause to reply persons claiming the trial has delayed.
“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.
Heavy heart
Meanwhile, the court was 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,” Justice Honyenuga stated.
The judge has therefore ordered the second accused person to produce to the court medical report on admission at the 37 Military Hospital at the next adjourned date.
A-G verification at Korle-Bu
Mr. Nutifafa Nutsukpui, holding brief for Benson Nutsukpui for the second and third accused, 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.
Meanwhile, Justice Honyenuga has ordered Principal State Attorney Stella Ohene Appiah, “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”.