In a compelling petition addressed to Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor of Ghana, Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah, Deputy Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has urged for prompt and resolute action in the Airbus scandal.
The Airbus scandal has captured public attention after the company admitted to paying nearly $4 billion to resolve foreign bribery and other charges in the United States, Britain, and France. These illicit payments extended to several countries, including Ghana.
In the petition, Owusu-Bempah highlighted several key aspects of the Airbus scandal, including Airbus’s use of intermediaries to bribe government officials and airline executives.
Notably, the company hired the brother of a high-ranking Ghanaian official as a consultant in the sale of aircraft, further raising concerns about the integrity of the transactions.
Owusu-Bempah stressed that the Special Prosecutor’s office had indicated an intention to investigate the matter but expressed concern that over a year had passed with limited visibility on the progress of the investigations.
The petition emphasized the severity of the Airbus corruption case, stating that it was one of the largest corruption scandals in history. Allegedly, former President John Mahama, referred to as “GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1” in US court documents, was the principal beneficiary of the bribes. Documents were also allegedly falsified to conceal the illicit payments to “GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1.”
In the petition, Owusu-Bempah expressed concern that the Airbus scandal had not seen significant progress and suggested that Ghana, as the real victim of corruption in this instance, should seek compensation from Airbus, similar to fines imposed by other countries.
He further called for a more proactive approach to the investigation, emphasizing the importance of taking substantive action to address this significant international corruption scandal.
Below is his full petition:
Attention:
Kissi Agyebeng
The Special Prosecutor
Haile Gabrielle Selasse Ave Ridge-Accra
PETITION: Request For Action On The Airbus Corruption
Please accept my compliment.
I write to you to officially call for urgent action on the Airbus SE corruption.
As you are aware Airbus SE has admitted to paying nearly $4 billion to resolve foreign bribery and other charges with authorities in the United States, Britain and France.
The aircraft maker has also admitted using intermediaries over several years to bribe government officials and airline executives in order to win lucrative contracts the world over including Ghana.
Again, the company admitted hiring the brother of a top elected Ghanaian official as its consultant in the sale of the aircraft. Also, Airbus confessed paying the said consultant through a third party when its Compliance Unit raised red flags about the close relationship between the consultant and the top elected official who was a key decision maker in the purchase of the military aircraft.
And rightly so, your good office has signalled its intention to delve into the matter.
It’s been over a year and the public is still in the dark as to where you’re with the investigations.
Whereas I do not doubt the competence of your office to get to the bottom of this massive international corruption, I respectfully submit and appeal to your good office to take immediate action in helping the people of Ghana to put this matter behind us.
The Airbus corruption is the biggest corruption case ever. Indeed, payment of bribes were made and received, and the biggest beneficiary as alleged was former President John Mahama, codenamed as GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1 in the US Court documents.
Again, documents were falsified in making the payments to disguise the payment of bribes to GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1 is on the record of the Court as the recipient of the corrupt proceeds from this transaction.
Paragraph 136 of the US Court documents actually described Government official I as having a reputation for bribe taking.
It reads:
“Government Official 1” had such a reputation as a prolific bribe-collector that within three weeks of the election of the incoming Government, AND BEFORE IT WAS SWORN IN, Airbus reached agreement with brother of “Government Official 1,” described in the US version of Court documents as “Individual 1.”
Respectfully, everyone who is privy to the core details of the series of court documents published by the Department of Justice (DOJ) of the United States and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) of the United Kingdom cannot allege ignorance of the persons who have brought our nation into this international shame.
Bearing in mind the above realities, it is most unfortunate that your good office has, for political expediency, treated Mr Mahama with kids gloves.
Like most Ghanaians, I have grown sceptical about the lip service being paid to such a huge international corruption involving our former President.
I may not be a lawyer, but I suspect if those countries can benefit in fines from Airbus for corruption which our country was the real victim, then we believe that your investigations if it yields success can create an even bigger case for Ghana to also seek compensation from Airbus for the damage caused to our national treasury.
Respectfully sir, the nonchalant attitude being deployed on this matter ought to give way to real action.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah
Deputy Director of Communications, NPP
