A member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communication Team, Mr. Elikem Kotoko has said the ruling NPP’s agenda to hung the Airbus bribery issue as contained in the UK Crown Court ruling on the neck of former President Mahama is “It’s a complete smear campaign and false fabrication”
In a Facebook post sighted by Awake News, the vociferous youth activist is of the firm conviction that the agenda of drawing former President Mahama into the bribery scandal when his name was nowhere mentioned in the court ruling “Will Come Back To Hunt Those Who Are Creating This Baseless Falsehood!”
According to him, “The Judgement Was Clear Like Water It Didn’t Even Mention Who The So-Called Agents or Intermediary Were. The Judgement Was Straightforward To Address The Case About The Exact Event That Took Place.” and therefore it is unthinkable how President Akufo-Addo who is a lawyer could not understand the Court Ruling hence will want to score a political point with his press statement of directing the Special Prosecutor to investigate the matter.
This he said, “I Thought He Was a Brilliant Lawyer And Understands Court Rulings?, Has President Akufo Addo Legal Practice License Been Revoked By Ernest Addison?”
Background:
As reported on Aljazera.com, Airbus agreed on Friday to pay a record $4bn in fines after reaching a plea bargain with prosecutors in the United Kingdom, France and United States over alleged bribery and corruption stretching back at least 15 years.
“Friday was the end of Act I, now we are seeing the beginning of Act II with possible repercussions on airline relationships,” a person close to the company told the Reuters news agency.
Airbus declined to comment further after welcoming the agreement on Friday as an opportunity to “turn the page”.
Prosecution documents agreed by Airbus detailed a global network of agents or middlemen in transactions across the group’s business and run from a cell in Paris where the group had part of its headquarters, split between France and Germany.
Outlines of the operation and its annual budget of 250 million to 300 million euros ($277m to $332m) had been reported by Reuters.
Prosecutors also cited parallel projects or investments alongside some negotiations, including the sponsorship by Airbus’ then-parent EADS of a Formula 1 team owned by top officials at Malaysia-based AirAsia, an important customer.
Shares in AirAsia fell up to 11 percent.
AirAsia Group said Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes and Chairman Kamarudin Meranun would step aside for at least two months while the airline and Malaysian government probed allegations.
In a joint statement, the two co-founders of Asia’s largest budget airline denied any wrongdoing or misconduct.
“We would not harm the very companies that we spent our entire lives building up to their present global status,” they said.
Fernandes, one of aviation’s best-known executives, already faces domestic pressure after backing former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2018 elections. Najib was overthrown by Mahathir Mohamad, prompting Fernandes to apologise for backing the losing candidate.
Inquiries launched
In Ghana, a political storm erupted over accusations of Airbus payments to a relative of a government official in connection with the purchase of military transport planes.
The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said the agent had no aerospace experience, having previously worked in football merchandising and as a facilities manager. It did not say what the agent, who had been helped by two unnamed British television actors, did with the money.
President Nana Akufo-Addo’s office said Ghana would “conduct a prompt inquiry to determine the complicity or otherwise of any Ghanaian government official, past or present”.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC), which was in power at the time, said claims that Airbus paid bribes were false.
Read the full post from Elikem:
Read This Story Carefully And Ask Yourself What’s Mahama’s Sin In This Matter? It’s a Complete Smear Campaign And False Fabrication, It Will Come Back To Hunt Those Who Are Creating This Baseless Falsehood! Has President Akufo Addo Legal Practice License Been Revoked By Ernest Addison? I Thought He Was a Brilliant Lawyer And Understands Court Rulings? The Judgement Was Clear Like Water It Didn’t Even Mention Who The So-Called Agents or Intermediary Were. The Judgement Was Straightforward To Address The Case About The Exact Event That Took Place.
Thank God The Story is Not That Mahama Rather Has Stolen Ghana Money And Give It To Airbus. It’s Rather Airbus Who Has Paid Commission From Their Own Pocket To Their Own Agents Dealing In Many Countries Including Ghana. So Who Cares! End of Story! 2020GO4JM.
Martin Amidu Cannot Do Much About This Case Because It’s a Matter Between Airbus And Their Own Agents,,, Even The UK,FRANCE AND US Courts Don’t Even Know Who The Agents Were So Therefore Which Agent is Amidu Going To Investigate? Nonexistent.This is The Joke of The Century. Is The Matter a Big Deal For Airbus? Yes It’s, And That’s Why They Have Paid All The Penalties Subscribed In The Court Rulings.
I Thought We Have Competent Leaders Who Understand How Global Business Are Run.
By: Efo Korsi Senyo / awakenewsroom.com