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Former Auditor General and anti-corruption advocate Daniel Yaw Domelevo has praised the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for its thorough investigation into the Airbus scandal. Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV, Domelevo lauded the OSP for its independent approach and its bold presentation of findings.
Domelevo commended the Special Prosecutor for conducting the investigation without bias. “I was full of commendations for him (the Special Prosecutor) because, especially when a request comes from the office of the president, public servants are likely to read between the lines to align with the president’s expectations. However, I think he independently conducted his assessments and investigations and presented his report,” he said.
Domelevo acknowledged that while some aspects of the report were controversial and received mixed reactions from Ghanaians, he was pleased with the independent manner in which the Special Prosecutor handled the case. “Some Ghanaians are very happy about the report, and some are not, but my satisfaction lies in the fact that he did his work independently and presented his findings boldly. I think the OSP has done a good job,” he added.
The Airbus scandal came to light on January 31, 2020, when the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) named Ghana among five countries where Airbus SE allegedly bribed officials between 2009 and 2015. This led to a record £3 billion settlement by Airbus with France, the UK, and the US to avoid corporate criminal charges.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo subsequently referred the case to the OSP for further investigation. Martin Amidu, the former Special Prosecutor, had previously reported before his resignation that John Mahama was identified as ‘Government Official 1’ in the SFO’s report. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) echoed these allegations, though Mahama denied any wrongdoing, and no conclusive evidence was presented.
Recently, the OSP has named former President John Mahama as Government Official 1 (GO1) in the Airbus scandal. At a press conference on August 8, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng confirmed that Samuel Mahama, the former president’s brother, was identified as Intermediary 5. The OSP’s investigation revealed that while Mr. Mahama was recognized as GO1 and Individual 1 by UK and US courts respectively, he did not play a role in the acquisition.
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