Mr Kwaku Agyemang, a cocoa farmer in Nkrakwanta district, in the Bono Region, yesterday testified in the ongoing Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni trial, at the Accra High Court.
The witness is one of the persons subpoenaed by the court to testify in the case in which Dr Opuni, a former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana COCOBOD, and Mr Seidu Agongo, the Managing Director of Agricult Ghana Limited, are being prosecuted for procurement breaches and causing financial loss to the state.
Mr Agyemang, who started agriculture business as a poultry farmer, in 1990, was led in evidence by Mr Samuel Kojo, the counsel for Dr Opuni.
The witness told the court presided over by Justice Clement Honyenugah, a Supreme Court judge, sitting with additional responsibility as a high court judge,
that he currently had 22 farms and grows cocoa, cashew, orange, plantain and engages in fish pond activity .
Below was what transpired at cross-examination.
Counsel: So presently what is the size of your farm?
Witness: My Lord currently I have 147 acres of cocoa, four acres of cashew, three acres of fish pond, three acres of orange, and 13 acres of plantain. My lord I have also planted trees in my farm. I also have palm trees, yam, maize and coconut.
Counsel: How did you expand your farm?
Witness: My Lord I was able to expand my farm by using the profit I made every year in purchasing additional lands. I have also employed workers whom I pay to work for me at the farms.
Counsel: When did you start cocoa farming?
Witness: My Lord, I started cocoa farming in 2006.
Counsel: At where?
Witness: At Nkrakwanta
Counsel: You said you had 147 acres of cocoa farm. Is it a single farm?
Witness: My Lord, the cocoa farms are 22 in number.
Counsel: Where are these 22 farms situated?
Witness: My lord, they are all situated at Nkrakwanta in different locations.
Counsel: Can you tell the court where these farms are and the sizes?
Witness: Yes my lord. My lord on your way to Nkrankwanta, there is a place called Nyameama situated by the road side which is 1.66 acre. My lord, the second is located at Kwan ware, the place is called so because it is located four miles from Nkrankwanta which is 4.28 acres.
He also said the third one is located at Brofoyeduro, which is two acres. The fourth is located at Ahenfiekrom which is also 1.11 acres. My lord the fifth one which happens to be the first farm I had, is located at the left side of the road from Dormaa to Nkrankwanta which is 25 acres.
My lord, the sixth is located on the right side of the road going to Tweapiase, which is 10 acres. My lord, right behind my second poultry farm on your way to Nkrankwanta is 4.5 acres. My lord on the road to Kogyina, on the left side, there is a 1.55 acres farm. When you go ahead still on the Kogyina Road and still at the left side are 11 acres.
On your way to Akurakesie, on the right side is another 1 acre. My lord, when you move ahead right after Akurakesie there is another 5.50 acres. Moving ahead on the same road, at the right side there is another one 2.1 acres. My lord there is another one behind Cynthia Papa village which is 2.5 acres.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
