Former Deputy Communications Minister Felix Kwakye-Ofosu has criticised government for citing former President John Dramani Mahama for allegedly playing a pivotal role in the recent Airbus bribery scandal without any evidence to back the claim. 

The Deputy Attorney General, in an interview on Joy FM Tuesday, had described former officials in the erstwhile Mills-Mahama NDC administration as non-cooperative with ongoing investigations into the scandal.

According to him, “the key government actors who engaged in the transaction are still around.”

“The key government actors who engage in the transaction are still around and I insist that there is a Vice President who later on transformed into a President is round and is still campaigning for public office. “And I am saying that in accordance with the tenets of accountability that person even if he was not involved ought to open up to the full facts because definitely the transaction occurred under his supervision,” he added.

When pressed further, as to whether he was referring to John Dramani Mahama, he responded, “absolutely, clearly.”

This claim did not sit well with Felix Kwakye-Ofosu.

Speaking on Newsnite on Joy FM, former deputy minister who is also the NDC’s parliamentary candidate for Abora Asebu Kwamankese described Mr Dame’s comments as “nothing more than diversionary propaganda” that must be taken with a pinch of salt.

“It was a specific case of or allegation made against any specific Ghanaian official for which reason anybody can come forward… I dismiss entirely, the innuendos and insinuations of the Deputy Attorney General because they are not founded.”

Accusing government of peddling falsehood, Mr Kwakye-Ofosu questioned the basis for the Deputy AG’s conclusion when the UK judgement had not explicitly indicated who the culprits in the dealing were.

He also found it strange that the Attorney General’s Department would take a keen interest in a matter that has been referred to the Office of the Special Prosecutor by the President.

“He points to something that doesn’t exist. In any event, is it not this same government that issued a statement that that matter be referred to the Special Prosecutor? One would think then they respect the independence of the Special Prosecutor and therefore allow him to conduct investigations into the matter and come out with his conclusions,” he quizzed.

He further stated that: “On what basis does the Attorney General jump the gun and mention names, fail to provide evidence and purport to have written to the British government asking for information”.

Godfred Dame called on the former government appointees believed to have been involved to avail themselves on the basis of “honesty and integrity”.

But highlighting previous corruption cases under the Akufo-Addo-led administration such as the Australia visa scandal, Mr Kwakye-Ofosu said that the ruling government lacked the moral right to demand those values over what he says is their lack of credibility to fight corruption.

“There are straightforward matters of corruption in front of them. They are not able to disclose information. Yet they choose to jump onto the propaganda bandwagon and make claims that are completely false,” he said.

Mr Kwakye-Ofosu was however unclear if John Dramani Mahama will seek redress for defamation over the pronouncements by the Deputy Attorney General and other individuals seeking to describe him as a culprit in the matter.

Background

On January 31, 2020, Ghana was named as one of five countries in which the plane maker, 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 in the United Kingdom, 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.

The judgment also stated that some payments were intended to induce or reward “improper favour” by Government Official 1 towards Airbus among a series of illicit acts.

Recounting lessons learned from the UK judicial system which unraveled the said scandal, Mr Dame said it was largely motivated by the “readiness and willingness of the company in question to admit the fact and to open up their purse to the scrutiny of investigators.”

This scenario has so far not played out in Ghana as the Deputy Attorney General expected.