The office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has put out that its investigations are ongoing regarding the alleged bribery by Airbus SE, an European multinational aerospace corporation, regarding the sale and purchase of military aircraft for the Republic of Ghana, in which former President John Dramani Mahama is allegedly identified as one of several persons who were involved in the shady deal.
The OSP per its mandate, investigates corruption and corruption related offence committed by both public and private sector works. The office commenced its investigations into what is now known as the Airbus bribery scandal after it concluded that there are corruption and corruption related allegations concerning the issue against Ghanaian officials.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor, according Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor) is working with INTERPOL and the central authorities of the United Kingdom and the United States of America under the mutual legal assistance regime as part of efforts to initiate an international arrest warrant for the arrest of some officials including the brother of former President Mahama for questioning.
Four British nationals including Mr. Mahama’s brother were said to be wanted by the Ghanaian authorities for questioning for their roles in the alleged bribery of Ghanaian officials in the purchase of the aircraft.
In a half-year report published on July 4, 2023, the OSP disclosed that Airbus is alleged to have paid bribes in Ghana during the sale of three military aircraft. The company admitted hiring the brother of a top elected Ghanaian official whose identity was revealed as former President John Dramani Mahama as its consultant for the pitch to sell the aircraft to Ghana.
The investigation surfaced in the public space after a 2019 settlement reached between Airbus SE and authorities in the United Kingdom, France, and the United States.
As part of the settlement, Airbus agreed to pay a record-breaking $4 billion fine to resolve allegations of bribery and corruption in multiple countries, including Ghana.
The allegations state that Airbus SE paid bribes to various individuals in Ghana in exchange for securing contracts related to the sale and purchase of military aircraft. These alleged bribes were said to have taken place between 2009 and 2015.
In a report published by The Sun newspaper in the UK, former President Mahama purportedly had link with the middlemen who facilitated the payment of the bribe to key government officials when he was then the sitting Vice President of the Republic in the erstwhile John Evans Ata Mills administration.
Content by: Wilberforce Asare
