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Former COCOBOD Chief Executive, Dr Stephen Opuni has brought a case against the state demanding the production of documents to be used against him in court.

He wants the prosecution to be ordered by the court to “produce all documents which have come into its possession, custody and or knowledge in the course of the investigations…”

Dr. Opuni who is standing trial alongside private businessman, Seidu Agongo, said the demand for the documents was in exercise of his constitutional right to all facilities necessary to adequately defend himself.

The two men, together with Mr. Agongo’s Agricult Ghana Ltd., face 27 charges of causing financial loss to the state, conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretence, abetment of crime, amongst others.
 
In a motion filed last week, Dr Opuni’s lawyers, led by Mr. Samuel M Codjoe, are demanding 13 different items from the prosecution.

All the items relate to the trial of the two men and the company.

They want all witness statements, all witness statements of prosecution witnesses who will be called at trial and that of those who will not be called, all letters written by COCOBOD through Dr Opuni to the Public Procurement Authority and so on.

The issue of access to prosecution's documents dominated the early arguments of the case in which the state is prosecuting some five people in connection with the procurement of security equipment by the National Communications Authority.

The Attorney-General Gloria Akuffo had offered to give defence attorneys some documents but opposed a request for every single document to be relied on by the prosecution in advance.

The case was eventually referred to the Supreme Court by the trial judge. It is yet to be determined by the apex court.

It was, therefore, not surprising that lawyers for Dr Opuni made a similar request.