The trial of Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, the former Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has witnessed a significant development, as the head of the Soil Science Division of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), challenges the report by the Chemistry Department of the University of Ghana on lithovit foliar fertilizer.
In a statement provided to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Alex Asante Afrifa, raised questions about the source of the lithovit foliar fertilizer tested by the Chemistry Department of the University of Ghana and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).
Afrifa, who heads the Soil Science Division at CRIG, led a team of scientists to analyze the product and stated that it did not have any adverse effects on cocoa seedlings. His team recommended its continuous application on cocoa trees.
Afrifa expressed his inability to reconcile the Chemistry Department and GSA’s test reports, asserting that the lithovit they tested was beneficial for delivering nutrients to plants.
His statement was brought up during cross-examination of Paul Agyei Gyang, a senior officer at EOCO, by Samuel Codjoe, counsel for Dr Opuni last Monday.
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The relevance of Afrifa’s statement is tied to the charge against Dr Opuni, who is accused of procuring an adulterated fertilizer from Seidu Agongo and his company, Agricult Ghana Limited, suppliers of lithovit fertilizer for cocoa farmers.
The alleged act is claimed to have caused the country a loss of GH¢271.3 million.
It has been revealed in court that the source of the lithovit fertilizer tested by the University of Ghana Chemistry Department and GSA was supplied by Dr Yaw Adu Ampomah, the complainant and a former Deputy Chief Executive of Agronomy and Quality Control at COCOBOD.
The defense, led by lawyer Samuel Codjoe, pointed out the inconsistency in the two tests, suggesting that the samples sent to the University of Ghana and later to GSA, were not the same.
Paul Agyei Gyang, who has been subpoenaed by Seidu Agongo to testify in his defence, said it will be difficult to tell, since one was brought by the complainant and the other was a result of both parties agreeing on which sample to test.
Counsel added that Dr Opuni, in a letter to CRIG never instructed the scientist to issue any certificate for lithovit in January 2014 and the witness affirmed that saying the letter did not state so.
The prosecution, represented by Chief State Attorney Evelyn Keelson, clarified that the fertilizer examined by Afrifa and reported to COCOBOD is indeed lithovit foliar fertilizer, a fine powder.
Keelson noted that EOCO, had not concluded its investigations into the matter, making it difficult to establish the complaint made by COCOBOD to the office.
The trial continues today Monday, March 11, 2024, with heightened anticipation for further revelations.
