Airbus scandal: Amidu, Mahama must exhibit decency – Agyemang-Duah
A former UN Advisor on Governance, Professor Agyemang-Duah has criticised the Special Prosecutor and former President John Mahama over their public exchanges on investigations into the controversial Airbus scandal.
“They should display a certain level of decency. I think they should stay off the needless back and forth in public and do the right thing. The Special Prosecutor should put himself above such public utterances so that his office will get the respect it deserves,” Prof. Agyeman-Duah said.
Martin Amidu and John Mahama on Monday descended on former President Mahama who had earlier described him as a “coward” for mentioning him in the Agyapa corruption risk and assessment report, which had nothing to do with him.
Mr Amidu in his report had mentioned that Mr Mahama was the Government Official One mentioned in the British court documents which indicted aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, for paying bribes in Ghana and other countries between 2011 and 2015.
The British and American governments found the company culpable after investigating its business deals dating back more than a decade.
Mr Mahama said the Special Prosecutor’s conduct with respect to the Agyapa report was an attempt at equalisation and called out Mr Amidu who he also used unprintable words on.
He dared the Special Prosecutor to provide his evidence which suggested he was engaged in any acts of corruption
Mr Amidu fired back.The Special Prosecutor in a strongly worded statement on November 9, 2020, challenged the former president and NDC flagbearer to be brave and present himself for investigations into the scandal.
He said he had enough evidence to prove that the former President was complicit in his investigations.
He added that he had decided to hold onto his investigations until after the December 7 general elections were over.
“Your Excellency, the wise and the brave former President John Dramani Mahama, man-up, wise-up, and be brave enough to come with two lawyers of your own choice to be cautioned and interrogated by this Office to demonstrate your valour and wisdom as not being elected Government Official 1 and also as not being the first guarantor to Samuel Adam Mahama’s passport application.”
But the co-founder of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Professor Agyeman-Duah, said the two individuals must respect the offices they hold.
He said the Special Prosecutor in the discharge of his duties, must be guided by ethics.
“The important thing is to keep your investigation under wraps. You don’t publicise it. It’s a very interesting development. First, it’s kind of curious why a paragraph was inserted in the Agyapa report.
“I think the process of investigation in these matters should be guided by some ethics. All I am saying is that there must be a certain decency in carrying out some investigation and indictment, and that’s all that matters to me. These are two highly important people who have held high positions in this country, and I think they should have the wisdom to decide what is right, ” he said.