Airbus scandal: Amidu defends Interpol arrest warrant for Adam Mahama

The office of the special prosecutor says it has unearthed crimes of impersonation and forgeries in the ongoing investigations relating to the Airbus SE (Ghana) bribery scandal.

On July 10, Interpol issued an international red notice for Samuel Mahama and three others over their alleged involvement in the Airbus Bribery Scandal.

Mr Samuel Mahama also known as Samuel Adam Fosters, has been accused of accepting bribe to influence a public officer and acting in collaboration with a public officer for the public officer’s private gain.

Also declared wanted are Sarah Furneaux, Sarah Leanne Davis, and Philip Sean Middlemiss.

According to Interpol, the four individuals are “fugitives wanted for prosecution” for their roles in accepting and paying €3,909,756 as bribe, on behalf of AIRBUS SE, to some key Ghanaian public officials from 2009 to 2015.

Leading members of the opposition National Democratic Congress, since the issuance of warrant, have described the move as a politically motivated one aimed at tarnishing the image of the party’s flag bearer John Dramani Mahama.

However, in a statement to the press dated July 23, 2020, the special prosecutor, Mr Martin Amidu, explained that his office built a good case warranting the Interpol red notices.

He further revealed that: “The investigation into the Airbus SE bribery case in Ghana has been so thorough that it has even unearthed the suspected commission of other related crimes of impersonation as graduates of the University of Ghana, a civil servant, and forgeries in the application for the acquisition of a Ghanaian passport connect to this bribery case”.

“The unethical and touting lawyers ought to know better that the guarantors of the Ghanaian passport are prima facie abettors of the impersonation and forgeries, as much as the guarantor who claimed falsely to be a civil servant. The passport has relevance to documents employed in facilitating the Airbus SE (Ghana) bribery”, the statement said.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor also took the opportunity to “assure all Ghanaians that it cannot and will not be an instrument of any political party in its fight against corruption” while adding that crime will always remain a crime no matter whose ox is gored.

“It is better not to try to look into the eyes of the snake as the supporters of the four fugitives wanted for prosecution have made it their past time to do”, the statement said.