The State prosecution has dropped all charges against Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, former CEO of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), and businessman Seidu Agongo.
This brings to an end a a seven-year legal battle over the purchase of Lithovit fertilizer.
The duo had faced 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretenses, willfully causing financial loss to the state, and corruption by public officers.
On Tuesday, January 28, 2025, State Attorney Enam Mensah informed the High Court that the Attorney General had directed the prosecution to withdraw the charges.
The prosecution subsequently filed a notice of withdrawal under Section 59 of Act 30, effectively terminating the case.
The trial, which began in 2018, revolved around allegations that Dr. Opuni and Mr. Agongo caused a financial loss of over GH¢271 million to the state through a series of transactions involving Lithovit foliar fertilizer.
However, the case was marred by controversies, including claims of withheld evidence and allegations of bias.
In February 2024, a subpoenaed witness revealed that a crucial test result from the Ghana Standards Authority, which confirmed Lithovit as a fertilizer, was not presented in court.
The prosecution’s decision to drop the charges marks the end of a lengthy and complex trial that has captured national attention.
While the reasons for the withdrawal were not explicitly stated, the move has sparked mixed reactions, with some questioning the implications for accountability and others welcoming the conclusion of a case fraught with legal and procedural challenges.
