Airbus Bribery Scandal: UK court never said Ghana was shortchanged in deal – Inusah Fuseini

The Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, says his findings on the Airbus bribery scandal have revealed the UK court that ruled on the matter did not state that Ghana was shortchanged.

Airbus agreed on Friday to pay a record $4bn in fines after reaching a plea bargain with prosecutors in the United Kingdom, France and United States over alleged bribery and corruption stretching back at least 15 years, Aljazeera reports.

It was said that the countries that benefitted from the said bribe included Ghana during the Mills-Mahama administration.

According to the Statement of Facts in the case, between 2009 and 2015, “a number of Airbus employees made or promised success based commission payments of approximately €5 million to Intermediary 5”, who is said to be “a close relative of a high ranking elected Ghanaian Government official (Government Official 1)”.

Although no name was mentioned, President Nana Akufo-Addo directed the Special Prosecutor to investigate the role of former Ghana Government officials in the Airbus bribery scandal.

But Lawyer Fuseini who is a former Roads Minister under the Mahama administration has rubbished President Nana Akufo-Addo’s directive to the Special Prosecutor to investigate the role of former Ghana Government officials in the scandal.

Speaking on the Point of View on Citi TV on Monday, Mr Fuseini said the investigation process will only be a waste of time since the facts of the matter have already been made known through the US and UK court documents.

“I can tell that the President didn’t read the judgement. [Referring the matter to] the Special Prosecutor, I can say even before he starts his work that, it is a needless waste of time by the President. This is because the matters stated in the judgment are matters that are of public knowledge and the judgment was stated clearly,” he told host Bernard Avle.

The legislator said although the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is open to investigations, it is certain that nothing incriminating will be found against the party nor its previous government should one be conducted.