Dr. Stephen Opuni
Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Stephen Opuni, yesterday called his third witness in the trial in which he has been accused of causing over GH¢217 million financial loss to the state.
The witness, Thomas Amoh Amankwaah, a farmer, in his evidence-in-chief told the court that he had used the Lithovit Liquid fertiliser which proved effective and increased his cocoa yields.
The witness told the court that prior to the 2014/15 cocoa season, he applied only granular fertilisers to his farm, but during the 2015/16 season, he together with other cocoa farmers were introduced to liquid fertilisers, namely Sidalco and Lithovit Liquid fertilisers at a training workshop by officers of Cocoa Health Extension Division (CHED).
He told the court that during the 2014/15 cocoa season, he was supplied with Sidalco Liquid Fertiliser by CHED officials, and he harvested and sold 1,687kg of cocoa beans.
Mr. Amankwaah indicated that during the 2015/16 cocoa season, CHED supplied him and other cocoa farmers with Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser within the districts which he applied to his farms, and the result was tremendous, as he harvested and sold 4,562kg of cocoa beans from his farm – the highest harvest output he had ever obtained from his cocoa farms.
He said during 2016/17 cocoa season, he specifically requested and was supplied with Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser, and after applying same, he broke the previous year’s record and harvested and sold 4,875kg of cocoa beans.
He said the 2017/18 cocoa season, specifically requested for Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser, but was informed by CHED officials that COCOBOD had ceased supplying Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser, and due to the fact that he wanted Lithovit so badly, he went to the open market to find some, but he did not get any.
The witness told the court that Lithovit is the best fertiliser that he has ever used, and it is unfortunate that COCOBOD has ceased supplying the fertiliser.
Cocoa Passbook
There was a disagreement between the prosecution and defence with respect to the tendering of the witness’ cocoa passbook, a document which details the amount of cocoa sold by a farmer during a cocoa season, and how much he or she was paid.
While Samuel Codjoe, counsel for Dr. Opuni, urged the court to admit the photocopy of the document into evidence, the prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecution, Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, urged the court to admit the original copy due to disparities between the original copy and the photocopy.
She said there are certain figures on the original copy which were not contained on the photocopy which were served on the court and the prosecution, suggesting that the original copy had been altered.
Justice Clemence Honyenuga, Supreme Court judge, sitting as an additional High Court judge, admitted the original copy of the document.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak