Opuni Trial: l've no knowledge of any supplier influencing procurement process at COCOBOD — witness

Mr Charles Tetteh Dodoo, a former Director of Finance at COCOBOD, says he does not know of suppliers influencing the procurement process at the COCOBOD.

“I have no knowledge of any supplier of goods and service to COCOBOD having influence on the procurement process.”

He said the suppliers, who have put in a bid, often visited the COCOBOD Head office to follow up on their bidding processes.

Mr Dodoo, who was the first Defence Witness (DW) for Dr Stephen Opuni, the former CEO of COCOBOD was answering questions in cross-examination by Mr Nutifafa Nutsukpui, counsel for Mr Seidu Agongo, the CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited.

Dr Opuni and Mr Agongo are facing 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the State, money laundering, corruption by a public officer and contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GH¢300,000.00 self-recognizance bail each.

The Defence witness said the purchase of goods and services had to be verified and vetted by the internal audit department before a recommendation was made for payment.

Asked, how Board decisions were made at COCOBOD, the witness narrated that management had to be invited by the Board to present an overview of an issue, then the Board Chair would refer the matter to the sub-committee for deliberations and report back to the Board at the next meeting.

He said after the report had been presented and often, decisions were made through consensus, “l do not recollect a time when there had been division required a vote.”

Regarding approval of the budget at COCOBOD, the witness said it was the Board, who approved that after careful considerations from the Finance Sub-committee.

Mr Dodoo said he did not recollect at any moment that COCOBOD paid for goods and services without approval because the procurement process would have to be authenticated and subsequently payment made.

The witness said he could confirm that the procurement plan for 2014 to 2017 was lodged at the Public Procurement Authority.

Asked, whether a sole Board member could take decisions on behalf of other members, the witness it was possible and it was the Chairman, who would inform others.

Earlier, the Court Presided over by Justice Clemence Honyenuga, a Justice of the Supreme Court, sitting as an additional High Court Judge told the parties that, he could only allow a maximum of two Court sittings to enable Mr Nutsukpui to cross-examine the Defence witness, which was very reasonable.

He said this was to enable the Court to effectively deal with the trial.

Mr Nutsukpui said considering that the witness testified in Chief for five sittings and had been on the Board of COCOBOD for eight years, he would need four Court sittings to cross-examine the witness.

He said it was also because the prosecution had called seven witnesses and by the reason of the Court ruling of May 7, 2021, where documents that could help their case in their view were excluded by the Court.

Mrs Evelyn Keelson, the Chief State Attorney, said Section 69 of the Evidence Act NRCD 323 gave the Court the power to exercise reasonable control over the presentation of evidence to make interrogation and presentation through examination in chief and cross-examination as rapid as maybe.

She said two Court sittings of cross-examination of DW1 by Counsel for Mr Agongo was reasonable, having regards to the evidence in Chief of the witness.

The trial was adjourned to Monday, March 21, 2022

GNA