Airbus saga: Akufo-Addo harbours hatred against Mahama, tables will turn one day - Lawyer

An aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Lawyer Godwin Edudzie Tamakloe, has disclosed that Martin Amidu's investigation into the Airbus SE bribery scandal "will amount to nothing".

According to him, Mr Mahama never erred even if he played any role in the airbus scandal, thus the New Patriotic Party is just bent on confusing Ghanaians with the issue of the Embraer and the Airbus, because "they can not pin anything on the former president".

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has confirmed that it has started investigations into the Airbus bribery scandal.

The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, said there is enough “reasonable suspicion” of corruption and bribery in the deferred prosecution agreement between the European aircraft manufacturing company, Airbus and the British Serious Fraud Office in which Ghana was featured, hence a decision to commence an investigation.

Speaking on Okay FM's "Ade Akye Abia" programme, he accused President Akufo-Addo of harbouring an intense dislike against his predecessor, the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress.

"I am happy the Office of Special Prosecutor has taken the matter up. All that I am praying for is the matter will be investigated thoroughly to redeem and restore the name of the next coming president, HE John Dramani Mahama...

"You see all this is going on because of the hatred the president (HE. Nana Addo Dankwah) has for the John Mahama and his family, but ...the table will turn one day," he added.

On January 31, 2020, Ghana was named as one of five countries that Airbus paid or attempted to pay millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for contracts, leading a court in Britain to slap a fine of £3 billion on the company.

In addition to Ghana, the company allegedly paid bribes to officials in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Taiwan within the same period.

The UK’s Serious Fraud Office, however, in its statement of fact did not name the Ghanaian officials.

This led to President Akufo-Addo tasking the Office of the Special Prosecutor to further probe the scandal.