Lawyers for the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) have asked the Accra High Court to reprimand the legal team of former COCOBOD CEO, Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, for describing EOCO as a “monster”.
According to counsel for EOCO, Ms Jacqueline Avotri, the disparaging remarks about EOCO by Dr Opuni’s legal team must be condemned
“We take exception to the description of EOCO in the discharge of its lawful duty as a monster. We, therefore, pray the court to reprimand lawyers for the respondent applicant (Opuni)”, she said.
The legal team of EOCO and lawyers for Dr Opuni, who is standing trial for allegedly causing financial loss of Gh¢271.3 million to the state, were in court Wednesday over the freezing of the former COCOBOD’s boss bank accounts.
EOCO obtained a High court’s order to freeze Dr Opuni’s account after lawyers for Opuni successfully mounted a legal challenge for the account to be defrozen.
Not happy with his accounts being frozen again, Dr Opuni filed another application at the High Court to gain access to his account.
His lead counsel, Mr Samuel Cudjoe, argued before the court that his client should be given access to the accounts because they were not tainted by any proceeds of crime.
He also argued that EOCO had deliberately plotted to terrorize his client and it was abusing the court process to achieve such aim.
But in her response, Ms Avotri said EOCO was only embarking on its legal duty under the law.
According to her, EOCO obtained a new court order to freeze the account to ensure that the state will be able to recover monies in the event Opuni is convicted of the offences leveled against him.
She argued that the law gave EOCO the right to confiscate assets before trial, during trial and after trial on behalf of other state agencies.
EOCO, she added, did not, therefore, breach any laws or abuse any court process in applying for an order to freeze Opuni’s account.
The court, presided over by Mrs Georgina Mensah-Datsa is expected to rule on the case on Monday, May 21, 2018
<<Print>>