Airbus scandal: It’s unfair to accuse OSP of doing shoddy job – Vitus Azeem

Anti-Corruption Crusader Vitus Azeem has defended the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and advised that the office should be given some credit for its recent findings in the Airbus bribery scandal.

The OSP has named former President John Dramani Mahama as the individual referenced as ‘Government Official 1’ in the Airbus bribery scandal; however, there is nothing to show that he was paid any bribes.

This conclusion, according to Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng, follows an extensive investigation spanning four years by his office.

Addressing the media in Accra, Mr Agyebeng explained that the investigation into the scandal and the revelation of the identities of the persons involved were necessary due to the public interest in the issue.

These findings, however, appear to have displeased the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Speaking on Joy News’ The Pulse on Thursday, August 8, a Deputy General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, criticised the OSP for what he described as a “lazy job” in its investigation of the Airbus scandal.

He argued that, the OSP should have sought the court ruling from the UK, which referred to former President Mahama as “Government Official 1,” given the shared legal framework under common law.

But Mr Azeem believes that the OSP must be given credit for its work, noting that while the OSP cleared Mr Mahama, it also provided reasons for its conclusions.

“If the special prosecutor has found that there is no basis to go further with this case, and has enumerated them that should be the end of this matter. Unless the government wants to take it up with a higher authority, in which case, I don’t know which higher investigative authority you will take this to.

“As for me, I think that may be it has disappointed a number of people or some people, especially in the ruling NPP but that is the ruling and I think we should accept it, the way it has come,” he said on the same show.

On the back of this, he stressed that it is completely unnecessary to describe the OSP’s work as “shoddy.”

“I don’t see why somebody should even say that the Special Prosecutor did a shoddy job because you didn’t want him to come with a finding that you don’t expect. Of course we are in an election year and these things are expected,” he said.

He continued that if the results had favoured the NPP, the National Democratic Congress would have equally accused the OSP of doing a shoddy job, hence, he was not surprised by the comments.