Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has defended former President John Dramani Mahama in the wake of the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) report on the Airbus scandal.
Tameklo asserts that the findings of the OSP indicate that there was no evidence of wrongdoing by Mahama.
During an appearance on TV3’s Key Points show on August 10, Tameklo emphasized that Mahama has fully cooperated with investigative bodies over the years and has been cleared of any misconduct.
“All the facts from the OSP’s report show no evidence of bribery or wrongdoing against John Dramani Mahama,” Tameklo said.
He also highlighted Mahama’s significant scrutiny and stressed that any future scrutiny of other officials should be met with the same level of fairness.
“John Mahama has subjected himself to the laws of this country for almost eight years,” Tameklo noted, adding, “Let nobody raise the question of witch-hunting if any relative, past or present, are invited for investigation.”
Tameklo also questioned whether current President Nana Akufo-Addo and his administration would be willing to undergo the same level of scrutiny.
“Can Akufo-Addo now subject himself to the level of scrutiny that they have subjected Mahama and his relatives?” he asked.
The OSP’s recent report identified John Mahama as ”Government Official One’ in the Airbus scandal but did not find direct evidence linking him to bribery.
This identification was also confirmed by UK and US courts during their investigations.
The Airbus scandal revolves around allegations of bribery related to Ghana’s purchase of military aircraft from Airbus.
The UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Airbus, which requires the company to pay over £3 billion in fines but avoids immediate prosecution.
The SFO’s investigations revealed that Airbus engaged in bribery schemes in various countries, including Ghana, although the court documents did not name specific Ghanaian officials.
Tameklo’s comments reflect ongoing tensions surrounding the scandal and highlight the broader issues of accountability and political scrutiny in Ghana.
