Opuni’s review against Supreme Court ruling on Honyenuga refused

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court has refused a review application from Dr. Stephen Opuni, seeking to reverse its earlier decision for Justice Honyenuga the continue presiding over his trial at the High Court.

The ordinary panel of five had on February 22, dismissed the application for prohibition on grounds that, the applicant has not demonstrated enough grounds for which the apex court should exercise its discretion in his favour.

The former COCOBOD Chief Executive had continuously accused the trial judge, Clemence Jackson Honyenuga of being “bias” and hostile,” towards him.

The judge has while ruling on an application for him to recuse said Dr. Opuni must learn to speak the truth and wondered if he “might have been hallucinating” anytime he comes to court for hearing.

Dr. Opuni filed a two-legged application at the apex court seeking to quash some decisions of the trial Judge who is sitting as an additional High Court Judge and to prohibit him from continuing as the trial judge.

The apex court ruled that the records of proceedings did not reflect any personal interests of the trial judge against the applicant; as such the application to quash the proceedings of December 16, 2021, could not hold.

It further held that it did not find the existence of a real likelihood of bias against Dr. Opuni.

In Court on Tuesday, March 8, the panel of seven presided over by Justice Jones Dotse while ruling on the review application said, the review application against the ruling of the apex court on Feb 22, 2022, cannot succeed.

The court said the applicant has not met the threshold to review that application in his favour.

Consequently, the court said the application “lacks substance and merit” and same was refused.

Background

Opuni and a businessman, Seidu Agongo, are standing trial over accusations of causing financial loss of more than GH¢271.3 million to the state in a series of fertilizer deals.

Dr Opuni was the CEO of the COCOBOD between November 2013 and January 2017, while Agongo is the CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited, an agrochemicals company.

They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been granted bail.