EOCO never completed investigations into the alleged fraudulent importation of agrochemicals sold to COCOBOD, a senior staff member of the operational unit has revealed.
This statement was made by Mr. Paul Adjei Gyang during a trial at the Accra High Court involving Dr. Stephen Opuni, the CEO of COCOBOD, and businessman Seidu Agongo.
The charges leveled against them include defrauding by false pretenses, willfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and corruption by a public officer. Both individuals have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are currently on a GH¢300,000.00 self-recognizance bail each.
Mr. Gyang explained that the Organized Crime Unit, which he used to head, was asked to hand over the investigation docket to the Police for further investigation. The investigation had been initiated when Dr. Adu Amponsah, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control at COCOBOD, brought samples of Lithovit to the Unit for testing.
However, Mr. Gyang stated that investigations were halted before completion, and a directive was given for Agongo to be charged with the appropriate offence immediately.
The case took several twists and turns as Agongo, who was initially denied a copy of the report for his lawyers, later requested for the product submitted for testing to be identified and sent to the Ghana Standards Authority.
Upon receiving the second test report from the GSA, Mr. Gyang confirmed that the product was tested and found to be a fertilizer, despite the broken seal.
