Former Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, has described the near eight-year legal battle he faced as a political witch-hunt, insisting he was innocent from the beginning.

Speaking to journalists after a Thanksgiving Service held at the Babianeha Presbyterian Church of Ghana in the Dormaa Municipality of the Bono Region, Dr. Opuni expressed relief over the conclusion of what he called a politically motivated prosecution. He pointed to what he sees as clear signs of interference in the case, including what he described as the decision by Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkonoo to reassign judges handling the matter through text messages.

The trial, which commenced in March 2017, involved 27 charges, including abetment of crime, defrauding by false pretense, and willfully causing financial loss to the state. Although Dr. Opuni and businessman Seidu Agongo were cleared of money laundering charges earlier in the process, they consistently maintained their innocence throughout the lengthy proceedings.

In January 2025, the Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, dropped all charges against Dr. Opuni, Mr. Agongo, and Agricult Ghana Limited, marking the end of one of the most prolonged criminal trials involving a high-profile public servant in recent memory.

Dr. Opuni said the drawn-out legal process tested his faith but also brought him closer to God. “I was not frustrated or worried because I knew in my heart that I did nothing wrong for the state to put me in jail,” he stated. He explained that his confidence in divine justice gave him peace even at the height of the accusations.

He recalled several raids by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) at his residences in Accra, Kumasi, and Babianeha, none of which produced evidence of any wrongdoing. Despite this, the case dragged on for years. “I knew from the beginning that the government had no case,” he said, adding that while he is not a lawyer, he could tell the charges lacked merit.

Dr. Opuni extended heartfelt thanks to his legal counsel, Samuel Cudjoe, for his steadfast defense and praised his family—especially his wife—for their unwavering support during what he described as a difficult and painful period.

Reflecting on his time at COCOBOD, Dr. Opuni said he was proud of the work he led, stating that his leadership brought real transformation to the cocoa sector. He drew comparisons between his achievements and the performance of the Akufo-Addo government, asserting that his era produced notable improvements at the Board.