A Deputy National Campaign Manager for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mustapha Hamid, has said former President John Mahama has not stepped foot in Europe and the United States of America since the issue of the Airbus scandal broke.
Addressing the media on Friday, December 4, 2020, Dr. Hamid stated that: “I can understand the disappointment of the Ghanaian people that nothing has happened so far in regard to the bribery case made internationally against candidate Mahama of the NDC. So bad is this case that candidate Mahama has not travelled to Europe or the United States since the issue broke in February 2020.”
On January 31, 2020, Ghana was cited as one of five countries in which global aerospace group, Airbus SE, allegedly bribed or promised payments to senior officials in exchange for business favours between 2009 and 2015, according to the UK’s Serious Fraud Office.
This led to a record £3 billion in settlement by Airbus with France, the United Kingdom, and the United States to avoid corporate criminal charges.
President Akufo-Addo later referred the Airbus bribery scandal to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for investigations.
Former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu named the National Democratic Congress flagbearer John Mahama as the Ghanaian Official, code-named Government Official 1 in the report, who used his brother to receive the Ghana share of the bribes.
He was however unable to complete his investigations before leaving office.
Ghana risks having ‘fugitive’ president should Mahama win 2020 polls – Hamid
Dr. Hamid at the press conference said Ghanaians should not vote for Mr. Mahama because he may soon be on the wanted list of UK and US security authorities.
“Whichever way you look at it, former President John Mahama has been accused in court documents, appearing in three countries for his personal involvement in an international bribery scandal valued at 5 million euros. What this means is that John Mahama could soon face the International Criminal Justice System. This is the man on the ballot paper that will be handed over to you on Monday. He will be presented to you as a presidential candidate”.
“When you choose him [John Mahama], you risk choosing a president who may be a fugitive in France, the UK, and the USA. Prosecutors in all three countries, in striking a deal with Airbus for the fines, made it clear that it will not stop them from pursuing the individuals involved. This means that candidate Mahama risks arrest if he steps anywhere near those shores,” Dr. Hamid argued.
“Can you imagine a President of the Republic of Ghana with an International arrest warrant on his head? A President who would not be able to travel freely abroad to fight and negotiate for Ghana? That is the risk of voting for John Mahama. The alternative is indeed scarier than we all thought,” he added.
Airbus scandal: Government moves to get $30 million compensation – Oppong Nkrumah
The government says it has initiated moves to get Ghana’s share of compensation from the controversial Airbus bribery scandal repatriated to the country.
The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who disclosed this said the government has been engaging an international law firm since June 2020 to get the funds, about $30 million sent to Ghana.
“Since June this year we’ve been engaged with an international law firm that has extensive experience in investigations and anti-corruption transactions so that we may get some assistance in repatriating our about $30 million in this $3.9 billion [settlement] to put to use here in Ghana,” the Minister said.
