A leading member of the Movement for Change, Nana Ohene Ntow, has said the clearing of National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer John Mahama of any corruption activity in the Airbus scandal favours the former president with barely four months to the general elections. 

The Office of the Special Prosecutor, in a report, absolved John Mahama of corruption, concluding that he did not receive a bribe or engage in any corrupt practice in relation to the purchase of three military aircraft from aerospace giant Airbus. 

In its investigative report, the OSP further found that Mr. Mahama did not allow the high offices of Vice President or President to be used for corrupt practices during the negotiations for the purchase of the aircraft between 2009 and 2015, while no public officials involved in the aircraft purchase were found to have also engaged in any corrupt act. 

The OSP further came to a determination that there was no evidence to suggest that Samuel Adam Mahama, a brother of the former President and an agent involved in the deal on behalf of Airbus, as well as other agents, obtained favours from former President Mahama or became a conduit for the payment of bribes to the former President or any public official. 

“The OSP found no evidentiary basis that suggests that former President John Dramani Mahama or any other public official was induced to improperly favour or did improperly favour Airbus in respect of the purchase by the Government of Ghana of military transport aircraft from Airbus,” the OSP stated. 

Commenting on the issue on Peace FM, Nana Ohene said the report has projected Mr. Mahama as incorruptible, which may enhance his chances in the December 7 elections. 

"It could be the case that another government or even the sitting government can say we are not satisfied with the investigation by the OSP, so they will file proper charges against John Mahama. But the general elections are very close. I believe that in a way the report favours John Mahama. If in this campaign  period, the report said conclusively that Mahama engaged in corruption, it would have negatively impacted his chances with barely four months to the general elections," he said. 

Nana Ohene Ntow, however, expressed surprise that the OSP's conclusion differed from the conclusions reached on the same case by the courts in both the United Kingdom and the United States of America. 

KA/EK