Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu says but for the upcoming elections, he would have interogated NDC’s Presidential Candidate, John Dramani Mahama.
Mr. Amidu says the former President who is seeking re-election is ‘Government Official 1’ whose brother is Samuel Adam Mahama”.
These statements form part of a risk assessment report the Office of the Special Prosecutor submitted to government on the Agyapa Royalties Agreement.
Mr. Amidu goes beyond the Agyapa Agreemet to give an update on some of the key cases his office has been investigating.
The International Police Organisation (Interpol) in July issued a Red Notice for Samuel Adam Fosters aka Samuel Adam Mahama in connection with his role in the Airbus bribery scandal.
He is being sought for allegedly accepting bribe to influence a public officer and acting in collaboration with a public officer for the public officer’s gain.
A red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionary arrest a person pendig extradiction, surrender or a similar legal action.
Ghana is one o the five countries in which European aviation giant, 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 court documents and hearings, Airbus admitted five counts of failing to prevent bribery, using a network of secret agents to pay large-scale backhanders to officials in foreign countries, including Ghana, to land high-value contracts.
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The scheme was run by a unit at Airbus’ French headquarters, which its one-time Chief Executive, Tom Enders, reportedly called “bullshit castle”.
According to the report, there are six key actors involved in the scandal regarding Ghana.
Investigators from UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) identified them only as Government Official 1 (high ranking and elected), Intermediary 5 (British national and close relative of Government Official 1), Company D (Corporate vehicle for Intermediary 5 — shareholder), Intermediary 6 (British national and associate of Intermediary 5), Intermediary 7 (British narional and associate of intermediary 5), as well as Intermediary 8 (Spanish company and front for Intermediary 5).
Mr. Amidu says his probe has so far revealed three blood brothers engaged in forgery and deceived a public officer to obtain a passport for Samuel Adam Mahama.
He further explains why he has not interrogated the NDC candidate.
“The only reason the former President has not been invited for interrogation is the fact that he got himself an insurance as the Presidential candidate of the other largest opposition party in Ghana and prudence dictated that that the interrogation be held in abeyance during this election season.
“The former President has also not offered to make any voluntary statement to this office,” Mr. Amidu said in the statement.
Source: Joseph Ackah Blay; Myjoyonline