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Airbus didn't pay bribes during Mills/Mahama administration - NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has debunked reports that officials of the erstwhile Mills/Mahama administration were paid bribes by airline manufacturer, Airbus.
Attorney General, Marietta Brew Oppong-Appiah
Attorney General, Marietta Brew Oppong-Appiah

The NDC said the narrative in the media suggesting officials of the then government pocketed monies from Airbus are misleading and malicious.

This was disclosed by former Attorney General, Marrieta Brew Appiah-Oppong in a statement on behalf of the party.

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"The reports alleging that Airbus SE paid bribes during the administration of President John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama are false, misleading and do not reflect the Approved Judgment", the statement said.

A judgment from the Crown Court at Southwark, UK, said: “The fifth count alleges that contrary to section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010, between 1 July 2011 and 1 June 2015, Airbus SE failed to prevent persons associated with Airbus SE from bribing others concerned with the purchase of military transport aircraft by the government of Ghana, where the said bribery was intended to obtain or retain business or advantage in the conduct of business for Airbus SE. 53.

“Between 2009 and 2015, an Airbus defence company engaged Intermediary 5, a close relative of a high-ranking elected Ghanaian government official (Government Official 1) as its BP in respect of the proposed sale of three military transport aircraft to the government of Ghana.

READ THE NDC'S FULL STATEMENT BELOW

"Our attention has been drawn to media reports about a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) entered between Airbus SE and the United Kingdom Serious Fraud Office in respect of the practice of Airbus SE in paying commission to its agents and the use of those commissions.

"The reports alleging that Airbus SE paid bribes during the administration of President John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama are false, misleading and do not reflect the Approved Judgment. Indeed, the Approved Judgment of the Crown Court of Southwark approving the DPA between Airbus and the UK Serious Fraud Office does not allege that any payment was made by Airbus to any Ghanaian Government official.

"It is therefore a gross distortion for the media to conclude that officials of the Ghana Government between 2009 and 2015 were bribed or paid any commissions by Airbus for the acquisition of the Casa C-295 aircrafts."

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