Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah, Deputy Director of Communications, has issued a compelling petition to the Special Prosecutor of Ghana, Kissi Agyebeng, urging swift and decisive action in the ongoing investigation into the Airbus SE corruption scandal.
Airbus SE, a major global aircraft manufacturer, admitted to paying nearly $4 billion to settle foreign bribery charges with authorities in the United States, Britain, and France.
This global conglomerate confessed to using intermediaries to facilitate bribes to government officials and airline executives, with Ghana being one of the implicated countries.
The controversy deepened as it was revealed that Airbus had engaged the services of the brother of a prominent Ghanaian official as a consultant in aircraft sales, further muddying the waters by routing payments through a third party when concerns arose about the close relationship between the consultant and the official, who held significant influence in military aircraft procurement.
The Ghanaian Special Prosecutor’s office, led by Kissi Agyebeng, had previously indicated its intent to investigate the matter. However, it has been over a year since this announcement, leaving the public in suspense regarding the progress of the investigation.
In his petition, Mr. Bempah voiced his confidence in the competence of the Special Prosecutor’s office but underscored the urgency of addressing this colossal international corruption case that has engulfed the nation.
According to him, the Airbus scandal stands as one of the largest corruption cases globally, with allegations of substantial bribes being paid, including former President John Mahama, cryptically referred to as “GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1” in US court documents.
Mr. Bempah and concerned citizens have grown increasingly skeptical of the handling of the case, alleging that political considerations may be influencing the pace of the investigation. They emphasize the need for concrete action to hold those involved accountable.
Notably, Mr. Bempah suggested that Ghana could seek compensation from Airbus for the damage inflicted on the national treasury if the investigations yield successful results.
