Probe Airbus scandal – Pentecostal and Charismatic Council charges

The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has expressed concern about the Airbus bribery scandal as far as the purchase of airplanes for the Ghana Armed Forces is concerned.

“We call on the security agencies to conduct serious investigations” into the matter, the Council said in a communiqué issued after deliberations at the 2020 Conference of Heads of Churches and Organisations held at the Pentecost Convention Centre, Gomoa Fetteh from 4 to 7 February 2020, adding that anybody found culpable should be brought to justice.

Meanwhile, the Special Prosecutor, Mr Martin Amidu, has begun probing the Airbus scandal.

The probe began on 4 February 2020.

In a press statement, Mr Amidu said there is reasonable suspicion of corruption in the Airbus scandal.

President Nana Akufo-Addo referred the matter to the Office of the Special Prosecutor after court documents from the UK and the US found Airbus SE guilty in a series of unlawful business deals in countries including Ghana where a relative of a top elected government official was allegedly bribed.

“The Special Prosecutor has determined that the said referral and deferred prosecution of agreements and judgments accompanying them raise reasonable suspicion of the commission of corruption and corruption-related offences of bribery of public officers and the use of public office by public officers for private office which are offences falling within the mandate of this office under the office of the Special Prosecutor Act 2017 Act (595). A preliminary investigation was, accordingly opened on 4 February 2020 by this office into the allegations contained in the judgements referred to this Office aforesaid,” Mr Amidu said in his statement.

The statement further noted that the relevant domestic public institutions have been invited to provide relevant documents to aid in the probe.

It, therefore, urged the public not to speculate or politicise the content of the UK and America courts on the matter until after the outcome of the investigations.

“The relevant domestic public institutions which can assist the ongoing investigations have been contacted to provide information and documents under Act (595).

“The Office of the Special Prosecutor appeals to the general public not to speculate or politicise the disclosures made in the deferred prosecutor agreements and judgements so as to allow this office to treat the suspected crimes as suspected crimes simplicita and nothing more pending the conclusion of the investigations,” the statement said.