Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni says Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu’s inclusion of his probe into the Airbus scandal in the corruption risk assessment report conducted on the Agyapa Royalties Agreement is a needless political equalization which could taint his image.
According Manasseh Azure Awuni, Martin Amidu’s remark about former president Mahama’s involvement in the Airbus bribery scandal in the risk assessment report which is neither a general assessment of corruption in the country nor an assessment of corruption in a particular administration is illogical and unfortunate.
“…The assessment report was not a general article on corruption in Ghana, in which one may draw examples from different cases. It wasn’t even about general issues of corruption in the Akufo-Addo administration. So there was absolutely no need to corrupt the Agyapa assessment with political fodder for equalisation. It’s unfortunate and, in the eyes of the reasonable person, will end up hurting Martin Amidu more than Mahama,” he said.
His comments come at the back of former president Mahama’s public outburst over Mr. Amidu’s claim in his corruption risk assessment report on the Agyapa Mineral Royalties Agreement that his investigations has identified the former president as the elected government official from Ghana labeled as Government Official One (GO1) in the Airbus bribery scandal.
Mr. Amidu in the report released on Monday, November 2, 2020, however stated that he is unable to interrogate the former president over his involvement in the bribery allegation because of the upcoming elections which Mr. Mahama is contesting as a presidential candidate of the opposition NDC.
But speaking during his tour of the Greater Accra Region at the University of Ghana, Mr. Mahama who did not miss words describing Mr. Amidu as a coward said the inclusion of the Airbus scandal probe in the report is an attempt by the Special Prosecutor to neutralize the damage his report on the Agyapa deal is likely to cause the government. He also described the inclusion as a stupid act.
Reacting to the matter in a post on social media, the investigative journalist said although the former president’s response appeared harsh, Mr. Amidu’s actions defy logic as the corruption risk assessment has no similarity with the Airbus bribery probe.
“John Mahama may have sounded too harsh, but I also fail to see any sense in why the Airbus issue should be put in the Agyapa Royalties corruption risk assessment by the Special Prosecutor. The two issues are completely dissimilar. The persons involved are totally different,” he stated.
