Former President John Mahama has dared Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu to tell the world the financial benefit he received from a 2015 agreement that led to the purchase of some aircrafts for the country which later became known as the ‘Airbus Bribery Scandal.’
Mr Amidu has described Mr Mahama as the ‘Government Official 1’ mentioned in the famous Airbus Scandal report that said the European Plane maker paid bribes to Ghanaian officials before the country purchased its aircrafts.
In his report of the corruption risk assessment report on the Agyapa Royalties deal that he submitted to the Office of the President on October 16, 2020, Mr Amidu said “the only reason the former President [Mahama] has not been invited for interrogation (in spite of all threats from some of his followers and lawyers) is the fact that he got himself an insurance as the Presidential candidate of the other largest political party in Ghana.”
His report said the “prudence dictated that the interrogation be held in abeyance during this election season.”
But Mr Mahama has rejected the claim by Mr Amidu who served under him in the erstwhile NDC administration.
In an interview with host of Morning Starr Francis Abban, the NDC flagbearer criticised Martin Amidu for “trying to equalise” the Airbus scandal with the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal that has put the Akufo-Addo government under bad light few weeks to the 2020 general elections.
“I am disappointed in Martin Amidu,” he stated and dared the Special Prosecutor to bring his findings out.
Asked whether he was a direct beneficiary of the bribe being said in the deal, the former president denied the claim, stressing “No financial benefit was accrued to me; not a single dollar.”
He questioned the investigations of Mr Amidu and asked “On what documents is he proceeding? Who has he spoken to? What investigation has he done. He should come out and say it?”
The agreement to purchase the aircrafts was approved by parliament on March 25, 2015, and Ghana took delivery of the third one on December 4, 2015.
Source: Ghana|Myxyzonline.com