GHANA- Friday, July 17, 2020,/ https://africanpostonline.com/ The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), has issued an arrest warrant for the arrest and prosecution of Samuel Adam Foster popularly known as Adam Mahama in connection with his role in the Airbus bribery scandal.
Mr Mahama is being charged for accepting bribe to influence a public officer and acting in collaboration with a public officer for the public officer’s private gain. The issue of his arrest warrant has received different reactions from government officials. While some believe it’s a step in the right direction others also are of the view that the arrest warrant is of ‘dubious validity”.
Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, called for a parliamentary enquiry into the Airbus scandal in order for the identities of the Government Official 1 and Intermediary 5, who were named as the local accomplices in the scandal to be revealed. He has applauded Interpol’s move to arrest and prosecute Adam Mahama.
Speaking in a radio interview, Mr Ntim Fordjour said the move by Interpol is a critical step in fighting corruption and at the same time justifies his call for a proper probe into the issue.
“I must say that this action is a very important and creditable step in the fight against corruption and justifying the calls that I earlier made that the Parliament of Ghana as an institution ought to show more interest in the persons so named in the judicial pronouncement; Intermediary 1, Government official 1 and such other people that were mentioned. We recall that this was a matter that brought international embarrassment in no mean scale to the name of Ghana as a country together with five other countries that were named in the scandal. This was a scandal that warranted the confession of Airbus and they conceded to the issues raised and actually accepted to pay a fine of three billion dollars, and this is not a fine that can be downplayed.”
He further argued that investigations and prosecuting those found culpable in the matter, will go a long way to exonerate Ghana’s name in the matter.
On the other hand, the Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has a different view on this development.
According to him, the arrest warrant issued by Interpol for Adam Mahama’s arrest is of ‘dubious validity’. Mr Gyamfi in an interview with an Accra based radio station said that, per his checks, the red alert notice is not available on the official Interpol website thus, it is simply another attempt by the ruling government to deceive Ghanaians.
“Every red notice alert which is issued by Interpol can be located on their website. So if the subjects’ (Samuel Mahama’s) control number cannot be found on their website, then it means the notice is not from Interpol.
“So this is fabricated, it is of dubious validity and we should not feed the people of this country with such information,” he said.
Mr Gyamfi further explained that Interpol issues arrest warrant only for fugitives who are wanted for prosecution. However, the subject in this case (Adam Mahama), is not a fugitive.
“Interpol doesn’t issue red notices, based on charges, they only issue red notices for fugitives. And in this case, the said subject has not escaped lawful custody so he isn’t a fugitive and therefore cannot be a subject of a red notice of the Interpol.”
He stressed that “no government official under the Mahama government has been sighted for having taking bribes from anybody in connection with the Airbus transaction,”
He added that the move is an attempt by the desperate Akuffo-Addo led administration to accuse “innocent people” of corruption by all means.
Earlier this year, Ghana was cited as one of the five countries in which the global aerospace company, Airbus SE allegedly bribed some officials in exchange of business favors between 2009-2015 according to the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office.
These allegations led to the payment of £3 billion by the aerospace giant with United States, France and United Kingdom in order to avoid corporate criminal charges.
President Akuffo-Addo referred the matter to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for further investigations.
Once arrested, Mr Mahama is liable to a prison of not more than 25 years for the nature of his offence. The arrest warrant states that once Mr Mahama is traced “assurances are given that an extradition will be sought upon the arrest of the person, in conformity with national laws or the applicable bilateral and multilateral treaties”
The Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service has assured the Interpol of its support and cooperation.
Source: Renate Dzodzomenyo -African Post Online
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