Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu, the convener of the Fixing the Country Movement, has voiced strong discontent with the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) recent conclusions regarding former President John Dramani Mahama’s role in the Airbus corruption case.
In a statement released on Friday, August 9, Owusu-Bempah criticized the OSP’s decision to exonerate Mahama despite confirming that he was the individual referred to as “Government Official 1” in the UK and US court documents linked to the case.
Owusu-Bempah expressed disappointment, suggesting that the OSP’s decision to close the high-profile case leaves much to be desired.
He referenced judicial records indicating that bribes were indeed exchanged during Mahama’s time in office, and pointed out that US court documents characterized “Government Official 1” as having a reputation for accepting bribes, raising serious concerns about the OSP’s findings.
He also highlighted that the Fixing the Country Movement was the first to petition the OSP on September 15, 2023, to take urgent action on the Airbus/Mahama case.
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Owusu-Bempah warned that the group would organize public demonstrations within seven days if the OSP does not revisit its conclusions.
Read full statement below:
OWUSU BEMPAH’S RESPONSE TO OSP INQUIRY INTO BRIBERY OF GHANAIAN OFFICIALS IN AIRBUS CORRUPTION
My attention has been drawn to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP)’s media Statement earlier today, on its concluded investigations into the Airbus corruption saga,
It is quite instructive to note that the OSP has confirmed former President John Mahama as the individual referenced as ‘Government official one’ in the Airbus bribery scandal, but went ahead to clear him of any corruption and corruption related offences.
According to the OSP’s own conclusion, Mahama is the government official one mentioned in the UK and US Court documents;
“The individual described as Government Official One by the UK court and Individual One by the US court is John Dramani Mahama. He is a citizen of Ghana, he was the Vice President of Ghana from 7th January 2009 to 2012. The President of Ghana from 2012 to 7th January 2017. His tenure of office as the Vice President coincided with the time-frame of the UK and US investigation of the first airbus campaign into the sale of 2C295 aircraft to Ghana.”
Let me say that the OSP’s decision to end this high-profile case thoroughly leaves a lot to be desired.
In fact, according to admissions and court documents, beginning in at least 2008 and continuing until at least 2015, Airbus engaged in and facilitated a scheme to offer and pay bribes to decision makers and other influencers, including foreign officials, in order to obtain improper business advantages and win lucrative contracts in several countries including Ghana.
As a matter of fact, judicial records made public on 31 January 2020 by the British and American authorities, which Airbus acknowledges to be true, shows that between 2009 and 2015 an Airbus subsidiary specialising in the defence sector hired the brother of a high-ranking Ghanaian elected official(Government Official 1), as well as a friend of the said brother and a third person to serve as commercial partners in the sale of three military transport aircraft, model C295, to Ghana.
It turned out that Philip Middlemiss, a renowned British actor, Leanne Davis and John Mahama’s brother, Samuel Adam Mahama were the intermediaries between Airbus and former President Mahama, otherwise known as Government Official I as identified by the US and UK authorities.
Truth is, the Airbus corruption is the biggest corruption case ever. Indeed, payment of bribes were made and received and the beneficiary was GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1.
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 agreement with brother of “Government Official 1,” described in the US version of Court documents as “Individual 1.”
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Interestingly, the British judge in charge of the case found that Airbus had sought, through these kickbacks, to obtain an “undue favour” from a member of the Ghanaian government.
As a result, Ghana bought three Airbus C295 military transport aircraft – two in 2011 and another in 2015, all under the presidency of Mills/Mahama.
So, what is the OSP talking about here? If the US and UK authorities have found Mahama culpable in the Airbus bribery saga, what is the OSP talking about here?
Isn’t it ironical for the OSP to conclude that Mahama didn’t benefit from the Airbus bribery scheme, when indeed the UK and US Court documents actually described Government official one as a beneficiary of the bribery scheme?
It is clear that the OSP was faced with a difficult situation very early in his tenure and made a number of mistakes and misjudgments, especially with his conclusion that Mahama wasn’t a beneficiary of the bribery money.
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This is a crucial case which cuts to the willingness and ability of the OSP to investigate and prosecute serious alleged criminality, and if the OSP is not able to do so, then citizens like my good self and the Fixing the Country Movement will be left with on options than to embark on mass protest to register our displeasure.
As a matter of fact, Fixing the Country Movement was the first to petition the Office of the Special Prosecutor on 15th of September 2023 for an urgent action on this Airbus/Mahama case, and we’re again asking the OSP to come again, else we’ll be forced to hold a public action/demonstration in seven(7) days to register our displeasure.
Let’s all say no to corruption.
Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu (Convener – Fixing the Country Movement)
