Airbus scandal: NPP deputy general secretary criticises OSP for “shoddy” investigation
He acknowledged that while it is a relief for many that the OSP confirmed Mahama as the unnamed government official, the investigation fell short in thoroughly examining the extensive evidence provided by the UK court
Haruna Mohammed, a deputy general secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has criticised the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for what he describes as a “shoddy” investigation into the Airbus scandal.
This criticism comes despite the OSP’s identification of former President John Dramani Mahama as “Government Official 1” in the scandal, which has been a subject of significant public interest.
Speaking on Townhall Talk on Friday (9 August), Haruna Mohammed expressed his dissatisfaction with the OSP’s investigative approach.
He acknowledged that while it is a relief for many that the OSP confirmed Mahama as the unnamed government official, the investigation fell short in thoroughly examining the extensive evidence provided by the UK court.
“The UK court presented numerous facts that should have been meticulously analysed by the OSP in its probe into potential bribery and corruption,” Mohammed stated.
“It is deeply disappointing that the OSP, even after identifying Mahama as Government Official 1, failed to capitalise on the mountain of evidence provided by the UK court.This investigation should have blown the lid off rampant corruption, but instead, it’s clear the OSP dropped the ball.”
He emphasised that the OSP’s failure to fully utilise these details raises concerns about the integrity and depth of the investigation.
These remarks followed a press conference in Accra, where the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, gave an overview of the OSP’s findings.
Agyebeng confirmed that the OSP had identified John Dramani Mahama as “Government Official 1” in the Airbus scandal and that Samuel Mahama, the former president’s brother, was “Intermediary 5.”
He also clarified that, while Mahama was identified by both UK and US courts as the high-ranking government official involved, he played no role in the actual acquisition of the aircraft.
This clarification has, however, done little to quell the NPP’s concerns regarding the thoroughness of the investigation.
Reporting by Caleb Ahinakwah in Accra
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