Former COCOBOD Boss charged with 27 counts of causing financial loss

Dr. Opuni, Former CEO Cocobod

One of the first government appointees to be sacked by Akufo-Addo administration has been hauled before the Accra High Court and charged with causing financial loss to the state.
Former Cocobod CEO, Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni and one Seidu Agongo together are facing 27 charges, reports Graphiconline, Wednesday.
The case is said to be called on Friday, March 23, 2018 at the High Court.
In February 2017, the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) froze the assets of Dr Opuni as part of investigations into his tenure as CEO of COCOBOD.

The charges against the two come a week after President Nana Akufo-Addo told Ghanaians in his address at the 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations, to expect more prosecutions of persons deemed to have engaged in the misappropriation of public funds.
According to President Akufo-Addo, “with the office of the Special Prosecutor now in place, we can expect more prosecutions for corruption in the coming months, and public officials, present and past, should be on notice that they will be held accountable for their stewardship of our public finances.”
“Can you imagine what we can do with GH¢5.4 billion? It can certainly finance the Free SHS for five years,” he said while touching on the recent audit by the Auditor General into the liabilities of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies which led to the disallowance of some GH¢5.4 billion of claims.
Dr. Opuni, appointed on November 30, 2013 to head COCOCBOD, is alleged to have mismanaged the cocoa sector during four-year tenure.
The former Chief Executive of the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority was relieved of his post on January 12, 2017 and appointed to Cocobod.

Details later.