Martin Amidu, the former Special Prosecutor, has raised significant allegations concerning the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s report on the investigation into the alleged bribery of Ghanaian officials by Airbus SE.
According to Amidu, the report is a substantial hoax, lacking substance and credibility.
He contended that the report is politically motivated and serves as a tool for collusive election interference by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in the upcoming 2024 elections.
“The political conduct by the OSP in using the 8 August 2024 OSP report to interfere in the 2024 elections which the 1992 Constitution demands to be open, transparent, free, and fair can not be allowed to pass without accountability from the OSP.
“The OSP in July 2020 decided to postpone the interrogation of former President John Dramani Mahama (who had been identified by the OSP as Government Official 1 or Individual 1) even though there was overwhelming evidence implicating him in the suspected corruption offenses in the Airbus SE-Ghana case because the OSP had to act professionally and avoid the perception of being an instrument of any political party to interfere in the 2020 elections”.
Martin Amidu
Amidu accused the OSP of disregarding established precedent and releasing a manipulated report on August 8, 2024.
He claimed the report aimed to clear certain individuals from suspicion by suppressing a thorough analysis of the evidence and selectively presenting information to facilitate political clearance.
The former Special Prosecutor emphasized that he cannot overlook the election interference apparent in the August 8 report without undermining his commitment to the Constitution; he believes that fairness must be upheld for everyone.
He demanded that the OSP explain to Ghanaians why it deliberately suppressed an objective analysis of the evidence implicating individuals in the Airbus SE-Ghana corruption case.
He also questioned the decision to keep other evidence secured for professional reasons until it could be used in later interrogations as of November 2020.
Amidu further argued that the OSP’s investigation into the President’s referral of the Airbus SE-Ghana corruption case on February 2, 2020, was conducted without a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) request.
He indicated that the OSP’s August 8, 2024, Airbus SE report states that in July 2020, it sought the voluntary return of Samuel Adam Foster (also known as Samuel Adam Mahama) for interrogation in Ghana, as he is a Ghanaian citizen residing in the UK. Foster refused this opportunity.
Amidu stated that by November 2020, the OSP recognized Foster and his UK accomplices as fugitives but did not explain the authority or circumstances of the March 2024 interview with them, despite their status under an INTERPOL Red Notice issued on July 10, 2020.
Amidu Claims OSP Report Suppressed Key Evidence in Airbus SE Case
Furthermore, Martin Amidu alleged that the August 8, 2024, OSP report suppressed critical evidence regarding the entry and exit of four fugitive UK nationals during the Airbus SE corruption period, along with bank statements linked to the transactions.
He pointed out that the report also concealed the true identity of the company involved, known as Company D in the DPAs, and did not disclose Intermediary 8, connected to former President Mahama.
Amidu further stated that evidence from Samuel Adam Mahama’s passport application suggested it was issued to facilitate the corruption transaction.
He stressed that these are just a few examples of the evidence the OSP obtained by November 2020 but later omitted from the report.
“Indeed, incontrovertible evidence was obtained showing that Samuel Adam Mahama (Foster) purchased a passport application form on 6 August 2009 with payment at ECOBANK and his first Ghanaian Passport with No. H 2459950 was issued on 25 November 2009 with former Vice President Mahama as the second guarantor to the application for the passport. There was more to the results of the OSP independent investigation of the first passport application which the 8 August 2024 OSP report suppressed as evidence which I will not disclose in the meantime.
“The independent investigation as of November 2020 also established conclusively and confirmed the DPA assertions that none of the four fugitive UK nationals had any professional experience or prior engagement in the aircraft business. The evidence on Samuel Adam Foster’s second Ghanaian Passport application and the resulting OSP investigations as of November 2020 are more damning and inexcusably criminal”.
Martin Amidu
Amidu further indicated that the OSP did not conduct any independent investigations after November 16, 2020, except for a questionable interview with former President John Dramani Mahama on January 5, 2024, despite his earlier refusal.
He alleged that subsequently, the OSP secretly interviewed Samuel Adam Mahama and his other partners in March 2024 in the UK.
The former Prosecutor also stated that by August 9, 2021, the OSP failed to trace the origins of the corruption linked to Mahama, using the lack of MLA responses as a pretext for its political agenda.
He emphasized that the OSP’s refusal to investigate cannot be blamed on a lack of MLA responses.
As such, Amidu indicated that it appears the OSP either suppressed information or pursued a political agenda for self-preservation.
He demanded that the OSP clarify the nature and location of the interviews conducted in January and March 2024 and whether they were overseen by a panel of investigators.
Amidu argued that it is essential to confirm if signed statements were documented in the case docket, as these details are crucial for validating the report’s authority and integrity.
He stressed that without answers, accountability should be demanded, as the report misleads and harms former President Mahama by implying electoral interference for the OSP’s self-interest.
Accordingly, Amidu urged John Mahama to insist on a thorough investigation that fairly evaluates the evidence.
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