Thomas Prempeh Mercer, Chief Inspector The trial investigator in the ongoing case against the former COCOBOD boss and two others has revealed in court that there is “evidence” that the controversial GH¢25,000 deposited into Dr Stephen Opuni ’s account by Seidu Agongo was Dr Opuni’s own money.
Chief Inspector Thomas Prempeh Mercer made the above disclosure in court on Monday, March 15, 2021, when being cross-examined by counsel for the 2nd and 3rd Accused, Nutifafa Nutsukpui, who is holding brief for Benson Nutsukpui.
The lawyer had contested any wrongdoing on the part of his client, Seidu Agongo, when he deposited the said amount in the first Accused’s bank account in October 2014.
At least in two of Seidu Agongo’s statements to the police CID, he said he does not remember the circumstances surrounding the payment. In his first statement to the CID on 29th March 2017, Mr Agongo said he, “did not remember the exact purpose”.
After the police had interrogated Dr Opuni on the GH¢25,000, the CID asked Agongo to write another statement on 9th January 2018, which he said he “did not sincerely remember the purpose of the GH¢25,000 deposit”.
Nutifafa Nutsukpui, therefore, went on to state that the prosecution has so far failed to prove in court the purpose for which that amount was deposited into Dr Opuni’s account.
But Chief Insp. Prempeh Mercer disagreed on that score, asserting that he himself has adduced evidence to that effect in court.
The trial investigator, who is the seventh prosecution witness and works with the Financial Forensics Unit (FFU) of the CID, used the statement of Dr Opuni in which he wrote that the said money was his personal money as proof.
“Sir, I put it to you that there is no portion of Exhibit MM3 where the 2nd Accused person talks about giving money to the 1st Accused person to take care of needy children,” the second Accused’s counsel pointed out.
Chief Insp. Prempeh Mercer replied, “My Lord that is not so. My Lord A2 stated in Exhibit MM3 that he did not remember giving any money to A1 but indeed he did pay the money to A1 and there is evidence to prove in A1’s Ecobank account.”
The lawyer insisted, “Now Sir, there is no evidence in this court in respect of the purpose of that deposit, that is correct.”This is what the trial investigator said in response to the position of Agongo’s counsel:“No, My Lord […]
