Former Attorney General and Minister for Justice in the erstwhile John Mahama government, Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, has said that reports alleging that Airbus SE paid bribes during the administration of President John Evans Atta Mills and John Mahama are false, misleading and do not reflect the Approved Judgement.
According to her, the Approved Judgement of the Crown Court of Southwark approving the Deferred Prosecution Agreement(DPA) between Airbus and the UK Serious Fraud Office does not allege that any payment was made by Airbus to any Ghanaian government official.
"It is, therefore, a gross distortion for the media to conclude that officials of the Ghana Government between 2009 and 2015 were bribed or paid any commission by Airbus for the acquisition of the Casa C-295 aircraft," a statement signed the former government official said.
Background
Airbus, Europe’s largest aerospace multinational, has admitted paying huge bribes in order to secure contracts in Ghana, under the erstwhile Mills-Mahama administration.
Airbus was found guilty by a High Court in London and is to pay a fine of 3 billion pounds (£3bn) as penalties. Anti-corruption investigators according to The Guardian Report, has described the court's decision as the largest ever corporate fine for bribery in the world after judges declared the corruption was “grave, pervasive and pernicious.”
The Serious Fraud Office's (SFO’s) investigation related to bribery offences in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Indonesia and Ghana. The PNF’s investigation related to bribery and corruption offences in China, Colombia, Nepal, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia (Arabsat), Taiwan and Russia.
The joint investigation team (JIT's) investigation was vast in scale and in scope. It covered all of the BPs engaged by the Airbus divisions until 2016 - more than 1,750 entities across the world. The JIT focussed particularly on about 110 BPs for which red flags had been identified, from amongst which the JIT selected several investigation priorities.
The French Parquet National Financier (PNF) focused its investigations on Airbus and/or its divisions’ conduct in the United Arab Emirates, China, South Korea, Nepal, India, Taiwan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Japan, Turkey, Mexico, Thailand, Brazil, and Kuwait.
The SFO focused its investigations on Airbus and/or its divisions’ conduct in South Korea, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Taiwan, Ghana, Colombia and Mexico. Within this scope, the PNF and SFO selected a representative sample of the markets and concerns involved.
Ghana under late President John Atta-Mills in 2011 and former President John Mahama in 2015, acquired three Airbus C295 planes from the company as part of an effort to augment and modernize the fleet of the Ghana Armed Forces.
It emerged that the first order of the military aeroplane arrived in the country on November 17, 2011, followed by a second on March 19, 2012. The last order arrived in the country on December 4, 2015.
President John Dramani Mahama, in November 2014, announced that Ghana was to acquire an additional C295, in addition to other aircraft, including five Super Tucanos, Mi-17s and four Z-9s.
A total of about $150 million was spent in acquiring all the three aircraft, one of which overshot the runway recently. Ghana's Ministry of Defence stated that the accident happened because the aircraft had not gone for its scheduled maintenance.
See attached for full SFO VRS AIRBUS Judgment.
Former Attorney General Rebuffs Reports on Airbus Bribery Claim
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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Is she the only one who can read? She has forgotten that some taught her law.
EVEN PROF MILLS SET A COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY INTO THIS. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REPORT. INFACT JM IS TOO CORRUPT TO COME BACK. NDC GIVE US A BETTER ALTERNATIVE.
Where is the distortion of the truth coming, UK abi, Madam don’t come spoil the little reputation left in you, you are indifferent when corruption is mentioned, we know your underhand dealings in the Wayome saga. The Airbus company has more competent lawyers than you l!ar. The ruling from UK was clear and unambiguous. This damage control is too late. It seems falsehood runs through the DNA of the NDC. why don’t you file petition to register your displeasure in the UK because your corruptt MAHAMA has been figured. Ghanaians Know at point in time Late Prof Mills has wanted to investigate this st!nking corruptt Airbus deal orchestrated by Mahama
This woman has just thrown her hard earned reputation into the bola. JM is as corrupt as daylight. The Burkina Ford Expedition says it all. Not to mention Sada and Bauxite to his brother. How can anyone condone such conduct? Especially ndc born out if a revolution. Sad for ndc
It is a calculated planted liar cooked from the pit of corrupt family and friends who think Africans don't think. Is Mahama not better to collect the bribe and we see the aircrafts than those who go for the loans in the name of Ghana only to change status of the money from government to private accounts.
IN UK BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION OF OFFICIALS IN GOVERNMENT AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS, EVEN IF IT IS STEALING FROM FOREIGN NATIONS, ARE NOT COVERED UP. IN GHANA CORRUPTION IS A CORPORATE BUSINESS OF THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT SO IT BECOMES THE DUTY OF OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO CONDONE AND DEFEND.
Alright. In the spirit of fairness give us the original ruling so we could judge for ourselves
Yea, the likes of them. You must posses a DNA of lying before Ndc can give you a position so its not surprising. At least the judgement was not written in Chinese language and Ghana is not the the only country mentioned. kromfo takyiamoa asefo) party.
why is Airbus paying the fine if no kickback happened. they have lawyers too.
This will not wash the attempt to draw Mr mahamas name into dis will not wash he was not mention and de official or agent cannot simply be Mr mahama so de effort to tag him will backfire because de npp want to used dis the sway attention from their massive corrupt activities science they took power