Mr Peter Okyere Boateng, the 7th Defense Witness has told an Accra High Court that all the Regional Managers of the seven Cocoa Regions lobbied for more supplies of lithovit liquid fertiliser.
He said the Regional Managers were lobbying because of the efficiency of the liquid fertiliser supplied by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
The seven cocoa growing regions are Western North, Western South, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Central, Eastern and Volta Regions.
Mr Okyere Boateng was answering questions in a cross-examination led by Mr Benson Nutsukpui, the Counsel for Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited.
Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni and Mr Agongo, a Businessman are facing 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the State, money laundering, and corruption by a public officer in contravention of the Public Procurement Act.
They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GH¢300,000.00 self-recognizance bail, each.
The witness told the court that the Regional Managers had informed him that the lithovit liquid fertiliser applied on the cocoa seedlings had performed “magic” with the farms producing higher yields.
Mr Okyere Boateng, a former Deputy Director of Cocoa Health Extension Division of COCOBOD, said as part of his duties, he met all Regional Managers monthly.
Asked whether the Regional Managers reported to his office on matters affecting their regions, the witness answered in the affirmative.
Mr Okyere Boateng said in his observation on the field, farmers were commending the fertiliser.
The witness said he had never met Mr Agongo and any Officials from his Company, Agricult Ghana Limited.
