Airbus scandal: Interpol issues arrest warrant for Adam Mahama

An arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Police (Interpol) for Samuel Adam Fosters also known as Samuel Adam Mahama over his role in the Airbus bribery scandal.

He is being charged with “accepting a bribe to influence a public officer” and “acting in collaboration with a public officer for the public officer’s private profit”.

According to Interpol, if successfully prosecuted he is liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 25 years.

Background

On January 31, Ghana was cited as one of five countries in which global aerospace group, Airbus SE, allegedly bribed or promised payments to senior officials in exchange for business favours between 2009 and 2015, according to the UK’s Serious Fraud Office.

In the case of Ghana, the UK court found that the company’s bribe was to land the contract to purchase a military transport aircraft.

“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,” the court’s statement of offence noted.

The documents indicated that one of the unnamed Ghanaian officials was “a key decision-maker in respect of Government of Ghana aircraft orders.”

A number of Airbus employees “made or promised success-based commission payments of approximately €5 million” to one of the Ghanaians implicated in the acts of corruption.

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh