Airbus Scandal: Mahama is ‘Government Official 1’ – Special Prosecutor

The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has revealed that former President John Mahama is the 'Government Official 1' in the 'fraudulent' purchase of an aircraft for the Ghana Military from Airbus.

According to the Special Prosecutor, Mr Martin Amidu, “the only reason the former President [Mahama] has not been invited for interrogation (in spite of all threats from some of his followers and lawyers) is the fact that he got himself an insurance as the Presidential candidate of the other largest political party in Ghana."

He disclosed this in his corruption risk assessment report of the Agyapa Royalties deal.

The Special Prosecutor however argued that "prudence dictated that the interrogation be held in abeyance during this election season.”

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Mr Amidu indicated that former President Mahama as of now has not offered to make any voluntary statement to his Office (OSP) despite the publication of an alleged interview containing admissions purportedly made by the former President to a Daily Graphic reporter without the full voice recording which in the meantime remains just hearsay.

The global aeroplane manufacturing giant, Airbus SE, in February 2020, was fined a record three billion pounds in penalties by the UK Crown Court of Southwark, London, after admitting it had paid huge bribes on an “endemic” basis to land contracts in 20 countries, including Ghana and in the United States.

The damages against Airbus SE, with Case No.: 1:20-cr-00021 (TFH), was being assessed after the historic judgement at the District Court of Columbia.

UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO), in documents sent to court, quoted at least five million Euros as payment of kickbacks to a top Ghanaian official through an intermediary who is a close relative of “a high-ranking elected Ghanaian government official” during the Mahama administration.