Airbus bribery scandal: Owusu Bempah petitions OSP to speed up probe

A Deputy Director of Communication of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ernest Owusu Bempah, has petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to speed up its investigations into the Airbus bribery scandal.

According to him, it is very important that a finality is brought to the matter and the persons found culpable prosecuted.

In a petition to the OSP on Friday, September 15, the outspoken politician insisted the office has not addressed the matter seriously.

“Respectfully sir, the nonchalant attitude being deployed on this matter ought to give way to real action.

“I may not be a lawyer, but I suspect if those countries can benefit in fines from Airbus for corruption which our country was the real victim, then we believe that your investigations if they yield success can create an even bigger case for Ghana to also seek compensation from Airbus for the damage caused to our national treasury.

“The company admitted hiring the brother of a top elected Ghanaian official as its consultant in the sale of the aircraft. Also, Airbus confessed to paying the said consultant through a third party when its Compliance Unit raised red flags about the close relationship between the consultant and the top elected official who was a key decision-maker in the purchase of the military aircraft.

“Whereas I do not doubt the competence of your office to get to the bottom of this massive international corruption, I respectfully submit and appeal to your good office to take immediate action in helping the people of Ghana to put this matter behind us.

“The Airbus corruption is the biggest corruption case ever. Indeed, payment of bribes was made and received, and the biggest beneficiary as alleged was former President John Mahama, codenamed as GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1 in the US Court documents,” portion of the statement said.

The issue has become topical recently following President Akufo-Addo’s comments at the 2023 Ghana Bar Conference in Cape Coast indicating that former President John Dramani Mahama has been identified as “Government Official No.1” in the scandal.

The Airbus scandal is one of many cases former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu started investigating.

Former President, John Dramani Mahama and his brother, Samuel Mahama were identified by Mr Amidu as subjects of this inquiry.

Airbus, the European aircraft manufacturer, is alleged to have paid bribes in Ghana when it sold the three military aircraft to the country.

The aerospace multinational admitted hiring the brother of a top elected Ghanaian official as its consultant for the pitch to sell the aircraft to the country.

Also, Airbus confessed to paying the said consultant through a third party when its Compliance Unit raised red flags about the close relationship between the consultant and the top elected official, who was a key decision-maker in the purchase of the military aircraft.

Below is the full petition

Attention:
Kissi Agyebeng
The Special Prosecutor
Haile Gabrielle Selasse Ave Ridge-Accra

PETITION: Request For Action On The Airbus Corruption

Please accept my compliment.

I write to you to officially call for urgent action on the Airbus SE corruption.

As you are aware Airbus SE has admitted to paying nearly $4 billion to resolve foreign bribery and other charges with authorities in the United States, Britain, and France.

The aircraft maker has also admitted to using intermediaries over several years to bribe government officials and airline executives in order to win lucrative contracts the world over including in Ghana.

Again, the company admitted hiring the brother of a top elected Ghanaian official as its consultant in the sale of the aircraft. Also, Airbus confessed to paying the said consultant through a third party when its Compliance Unit raised red flags about the close relationship between the consultant and the top elected official who was a key decision-maker in the purchase of the military aircraft.

And rightly so, your good office has signaled its intention to delve into the matter.

It’s been over a year and the public is still in the dark as to where you’re with the investigations.

Whereas I do not doubt the competence of your office to get to the bottom of this massive international corruption, I respectfully submit and appeal to your good office to take immediate action in helping the people of Ghana to put this matter behind us.

The Airbus corruption is the biggest corruption case ever. Indeed, payment of bribes was made and received, and the biggest beneficiary as alleged was former President John Mahama, codenamed GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1 in the US Court documents.

Again, documents were falsified in making the payments to disguise the payment of bribes to GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1.

GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1 is on the record of the Court as the recipient of the corrupt proceeds from this transaction.

Paragraph 136 of the US Court documents actually described Government official I as having a reputation for bribe-taking.

It reads:

“Government Official 1” had such a reputation as a prolific bribe-collector that within three weeks of the election of the incoming Government, AND BEFORE IT WAS SWORN IN, Airbus reached an agreement with the brother of “Government Official 1,” described in the US version of Court documents as “Individual 1.”

Respectfully, everyone who is privy to the core details of the series of court documents published by the Department of Justice (DOJ) of the United States and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) of the United Kingdom cannot allege ignorance of the persons who have brought our nation into this international shame.

Bearing in mind the above realities, it is most unfortunate that your good office has, for political expediency, treated Mr. Mahama with kids gloves.

Like most Ghanaians, I have grown skeptical about the lip service being paid to such a huge international corruption involving our former President.

I may not be a lawyer, but I suspect if those countries can benefit in fines from Airbus for corruption which our country was the real victim, then we believe that your investigations if they yield success can create an even bigger case for Ghana to also seek compensation from Airbus for the damage caused to our national treasury.

Respectfully, sir, the nonchalant attitude being deployed on this matter ought to give way to real action.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah
Deputy Director of Communications, NPP