Lawyers for embattled former COCOBOD Chief Executive, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, have rejected claims that their client’s bank accounts have been frozen again by the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO).
“We have not been officially notified of this directive of EOCO. We are just reading it today in the papers and on several online portals,” Edudze Tamakloe, one of Dr. Opuni’s lawyers told Citi News on Wednesday.
[contextly_sidebar id=”45ftXcPDZpzeV01yCg6P0tGTgyjnbvP2″]The High Court on Monday directed EOCO to release two of Dr. Opuni’s accounts with Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited and Ecobank Ghana Limited, upon a motion by his lawyers.
But on Tuesday, EOCO, according to some news reports, directed the banks to freeze the said accounts again.
The lawyer said if this is true, it will be an affront to the court.
Edudze said at the last hearing, “two lawyers [present at the court] from EOCO, informed the court that they were not opposed to the application. In fact, the application was determined on its merit.”
“…So clearly, it is the order of the court that will take precedence over the letter purportedly coming from the EOCO Executive Director. It’s of no legal basis or legal effect to us or whatsoever. In fact, that conduct of the EOCO boss will be an affront to the dignity of the court because what it does is to undermine a lawful order flowing from a court of competent jurisdiction,” he added.
Background
Dr. Opuni; CEO of Zeera Group of Companies, Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana, which also belongs to Mr. Agongo, are cumulatively facing some 27 charges, including causing financial loss to the state, abetment of crime and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Seidu Agongo has been accused of being a beneficiary of a fraudulent fertiliser contract worth over GH¢43 million.
The contract in question allegedly spanned the period 2013 to 2016.
Meanwhile, they have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin
