No Provision In SP Act Estop Amidu From Investigating A Presidential Candidate – ASEPA

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Civil Society Organization, Alliance for Social Equity, and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has reacted in a press statement to the Special Prosecutor’s recent comments on the Airbus SE corruption investigation estopping former President John Dramani Mahama from being investigated on corruption allegations after establishing his involvement.

Mensah Thompson, Executive Director of ASEPA addressing journalists on 5th November 2020 said he sees no provision in Act 959, 2017 which establishes the Office of the Special Prosecutor preventing any person from being investigated for corruption allegations by virtue of the fact that they are a presidential candidate.

He went on to say that absolutely no law in the constitution protects a presidential candidate from being treated differently when it comes to a criminal offense.

The former President has been revealed by the Special Prosecutor to be the Government Official 1 who allegedly received payments of up to €3.85 million from an intermediary – his brother Samuel Adam Mahama between March 2012 and February 2014 whilst he was in office.

President Mahama’s alleged involvement in the Airbus Bribery Scandal forms part of a bigger investigation which was done by a joint investigation team made up of the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and France’s Parquet National Financier (PNF) in the largest corruption enforcement action in history.

It must be noted that for most parts, Airbus has admitted making payments from 2012 to 2014 to former President John Mahama.

The Civil Society Group called on the Special Prosecutor to give the case the urgent attention it deserves.

He also cautioned him from setting a bad and dangerous precedent in the fight against corruption where people will escape corruption allegation charges by becoming presidential candidates of political parties.

Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/acheamponmaah@gmail.com