Dr. Stephen Opuni
A former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, has stated that the trial against him at the Accra High Court was a political witch-hunt.
He alleged that the change and transfer of judges hearing his case through text messages, by the Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkonoo, demonstrated pure political witch-hunting.
Dr Opuni was speaking to journalists after a thanksgiving service held at the Babianeha Presbyterian Church of Ghana in the Dormaa Municipality in the Bono Region on Sunday.
He explained that he organised the service to thank God for saving him from his enemies, who tried to use several means to jail him for a crime he had not committed.
Background
Dr Opuni, who was standing trial at the Court, was freed on January, 28, 2025 after the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, withdrew the 27 charges against them.
The former CEO of COCOBOD was accused of causing financial loss of over GH¢271 million to the state in a series of fertiliser deals.
Dr Opuni expressed a strong conviction that God intentionally put him in that situation to test his faith in God, explaining that the trial had rather brought him closer to God.
Orchestrated
Dr Opuni said under the former President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, he had gone through an orchestrated and baseless trial for almost eight years.
He said his trial, which began in January 2017 was a calculated attempt by the previous government to tarnish his image and reputation.
Dr Opuni said he had a strong conviction that he would one day be set free because he did not commit any of the charges labelled against him.
“I was not frustrated or worried because I knew from my heart that I did nothing wrong for the state to put me in jail,” he said.
Dr Opuni said despite the frustration, he never regretted accepting the responsibility to serve his country.
Challenge God
Dr Opuni said during the period, he challenged God to fight his battle and save him from his enemies, who were burnt on jailing him for no reason.
He said God had not disappointed him in the challenge, explaining that he had answered his eight-year-long prayers, and he deemed it fit to thank God.
He said the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on several occasions conducted a thorough search in his private residence in Accra, Kumasi and Babianeha, but found nothing criminal.
He said after six months of a series of searches, EOCO said they could not identify any evidence against him, but the government still pursued the case in court.
Dr Opuni said though he was not a legal practitioner, he knew from the onset that the government had no case.
He thanked his Counsel, Samuel Cudjoe, his family, particularly his wife, for being behind him, throughout the years.
On corporate social responsibilities, Dr Opuni said, during his trial, he was still supporting individuals to pursue higher education and constructed some educational facilities at Babianeha and its surrounding communities to improve teaching and learning.
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