Court Orders EOCO to Defreeze Dr Opuni’s Accounts

An Accra High Court has ordered the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to, with immediate effect, defreeze the two bank accounts of Dr Stephen Opuni, a former COCOBOD Chief Executive.

The accounts with the Standard Chartered Bank Limited and Ecobank Ghana Limited were frozen per a court order in February 2017, when investigations into some alleged financial malfeasance against him commenced.

The Court, presided over by Justice Georgina Mensah-Datsah, made the order after reading the affidavit filed on April 13, 2018 in support of a Motion for an order to discharge the freezing of the said accounts pursuant to Section 38 (1) (a) (i) of the EOCO Act, 2010 (Act 804) and under order 19 of C.I 47.

The Judge said: “Upon hearing the submission of Samuel Codjoe and Edudzi Tameklo, counsels for Dr Opuni and Leo Antony Siamah with Nana Akua Adubea Sakyi, counsel for and behalf of EOCO not being opposed to the application…. “it is hereby ordered that the Respondent/Applicant’s accounts, all in the name of Dr Opuni, are defrozen forthwith.”

Dr Opuni has been charged with 27 counts of offences, including abetment of crime and defrauding by false pretence, contravention of the Public Procurement Act, manufacturing fertiliser without registration, money laundering and corruption by a public officer and causing financial loss to the state.

His alleged accomplices are AGRICOT Company and its Chief Executive, Seidu Agongo.

On Monday, March 27, the Court granted a self-recognisance bail to Dr Opuni and Mr Agongo in the sum of GH¢300,000.00 each.

Source: GNA