The dockets of former COCOBOD Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Stephen Opuni and four other former appointees of ex-President John Dramani Mahama in respect of alleged shady deals are ready, according to Kennedy Agyapong, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.
He added, “I can state categorically that some documents for the prosecution of some corrupt NDC officials are ready; I know of Opuni’s own and some four others. I know all these documents are ready and are in the custody of the CID. I can assure you that they will not go scot-free.”
It is not clear who the other four former appointees are, as the Assin Central tough-talking MP refused to disclose their identities.
Dr. Opuni is at the centre of serious fraud investigations by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) over some scandals involving several millions of Ghana cedis at COCOBOD during his tenure as the CEO.
One of the cases involved the alleged deliberate distribution of “spoilt” fertilizers worth about GH¢100 million to cocoa farmers from 2014 to 2016, which according to the Executive Director of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), K.K. Amoah, resulted in low cocoa yield during the period under review.
Besides, Dr. Opuni is also reportedly being probed together with some top former officials of COCOBOD over alleged misappropriation of cocoa roads funds.
Some other appointees of ex-President Mahama, who are also being investigated, include former Director General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Ernest Thompson; Project Coordinator of SSNIT OBS system, John Hagan Mensah and the former Board Chairman of SSNIT and NDC’s 2020 presidential hopeful, Prof. Joshua Alabi.
They are being probed over the $81 million SSNIT’s software scandal.
Mr K.K. Amoah told DAILY GUIDE on September 7, this year that their dockets were going to be ready in two weeks’ time effective that day, and it is unclear whether they are those whom Mr. Agyapong was referring to.
Payback Time!
Speaking on Accra-based Net 2 Television morning show yesterday, Mr. Agyapong alleged that the reported actions of Dr. Opuni caused great financial loss to the state and that “it is time we make him pay for his bad deeds.”
Appeal
Mr. Agyapong appealed to the government to expedite action on the prosecution of alleged corrupt officials in the erstwhile Mahama government even before the arrival of the Independent Special Prosecutor (IPP) because Ghanaians are getting impatient.
He noted, “Yes, Nana Akufo-Addo said there will be a Special Prosecutor to deal with these corrupt NDC officials but I think prosecution must start even before the special prosecutor arrives because when people are punished for wrongdoing, Ghana will be a safe place.”
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