Former President John Dramani Mahama has offered explanations to his loud silence on the controversial Airbus scandal since the news first broke.
Mr Mahama disclosed that his reluctance to personally comment on the various allegations made in respect of the acquisition of the aircraft, was because some ex- government officials and members of his staff had already reacted to the matter.
“I recognised that it was the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor in Ghana, following the almost immediate referral to that body by the President,” he told the Daily Graphic in an exclusive interview.
The NDC flagbearer and former President, for several months refused to speak to the issue of the Airbus scandal, even after The Sun, a United Kingdom tabloid, linked him strongly to the bribery scandal.
Crown Court Airbus Ruling
It would be recalled that on February 1, UK’s Royal Courts of Justice found Dutch firm Airbus SE guilty of paying bribes in shady deals in some countries including Ghana, South Korea, Mexico, Colombia and Malaysia.
For Ghana, the scandal involved government officials in 2011 and 2015 who negotiated for the deal with Airbus agents including Samuel Mahama believed to be a brother of former President John Mahama.
“Between 2009 and 2015 an Airbus defence company engaged Intermediary 5, a close relative of a high ranking elected Ghanaian Government official (Government Official 1) as its BP in respect of the proposed sale of three military transport aircraft to the Government of Ghana,” the ruling on Ghana’s deal read in part.
“A number of Airbus employees knew that Intermediary 5 was a close relative of Government Official 1, who was a key decision maker in respect of the proposed sales. A number of Airbus employees made or promised success-based commission payments of approximately €5 million to Intermediary 5,” court documents reveal.
OSP Involvement
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo immediately referred the matter to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) with Martin Amidu, the Special Prosecutor launching a formal investigation into the scandal.
In February he announced he had summoned four people including British Actor Phil Middlemiss and Samuel Mahama and released their passport details online.
Self-serving Interests
But in sudden volte-face, the former president whose silence on the controversial subject has gone unnoticed, finally opened up to the state-owned daily on the infamous incident on the eve of the New Patriotic Party (NPP's) parliamentary primaries.
Mr Mahama accused the current Akufo-Addo led NPP administration of not being interested in the issue as a matter of good faith, but seeking to dredge up the matter for selfish political interests.
Asked if the Office of the Special Prosecutor had reached out to him on its investigations, Mr Mahama answered in the negative.
To him, the Airbus saga was an issue between the parent company and its representatives who were found to be in breach of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) rules.
Thus, for anyone to seek to attempt to rope him or any other government official in the saga, is simply a gross misrepresentation of facts and spread of deliberate falsehoods.
“This is clearly and unambiguously stated in all the available documents of the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO). It has nothing to do with the government of Ghana or with any official of government. To state otherwise is to misrepresent the conclusions of the SFO report and spread deliberate falsehood," the ex-president posited.
Source: Peacefmonline/Ghana
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hahahahahahaha a thiefff has given birth to another thieffff I learnt mahama's father stole a generator in Tamale back in the 60's so no wonder his son unfortunately found him self at the helm of affairs and he and his family luuuuted state resources like they have no head. Top ndc gurus knows mahama to be a cr1minal but because they were all benefiting from his dubious ways so they kept quiet now his dishonesty in government has come back to hunt them and mahama himself, naniam the guy has no credibility. We don't need cr1minals to manage mother Ghana, the country has suffered so much at the hands of ndc
wopana sue the british newspaper that published the story then. this one paa, exenoration SHALL be a steep uphill task ooo.
You have bn accused of conspiracy to committing economic crime by another country during your presidency , you have not gotten back to them to say hey what are you talking about. A newspaper published your name and picture in london , you have nothing to say to the. you are always talking about Akuffo Addo massa we are not that stuoped. if you are innocent suit the British court for defarmation and disgracing Ghana.
Mr Mahama you are not a trusted person. You took that office to do business thinking that you could go through the two terms. Ford came with money, the car was used as a camouflage. Everybody knows you don't need a car. The fence wall Kanazuer built around the land meant for Ghana embassy and residence in Burkina Faso that cost Ghana some millions of dollars, your share of that money was put in that ford to cover up the money. That connection made you to give the easthern corridor contract to him (Kanazuer). Airbus issue was true, I stand to be corrected. That sent Atta to his grave because he constituted a committee to investigate you. What of the Karl power bank which also surfaced recently but because of the covid 19 it couldn't become a big news. That also led to the dismissal of the TOR CEO. You have no shame , you would have step aside to leave Ghanaians loan. Yet we have those who benefited from all these rot so they behind you pushing you to come and destroy again but God will never give you that chance.
THEN WHO TOOK THE MONEY?
Ur intention to paint JM is Shambal and does not hold substance we no who u pple are. JM2020
You decided to spoke now because you know everybody is concentrating on the NPP primaries and no one will pay attention to it. But na lie lie
You only chose to talk on the day the NPP was holding its primaries so that the attention will not be focused on you. We are tired or NPP and NDC politics. There are neutral Ghanaians, believe or not. You are corrupt as much as them. Yiu chose this day and week to bury the bad news. We can read between the lies.
This bribe taker is seriously incompetent in everything he does...... You used your brother to front for you to short change Ghana in Airbus plane purchase and you are here giving lame excuse.... Tell this to your fanatic followers who your party has f0.0led for 27 years without supporting them. Look at Volta Region which has voted for NDC all these years. Not a single factory was established in the region to employ people. Mahama put up a white elephant airport at Ho which the people do not need. You could have provided them with good roads not an airport. Shame on you for embarrassing our country with your Airbus bribe.
Onaapo hahahahahahahahah this man be too sly. We are wide awake JM. We have the capacity to read and understand paaaaaa