JoyNews investigations have uncovered exclusive details on the leadership of two companies registered in Ghana and the United Kingdom (UK) involved in the Airbus scandal that saw bribes paid to obtain a contract.
Ghana is one of five countries in which the European aviation giant, Airbus, paid or attempted to pay millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for contracts, leading a court in Britain to slap a fine of £3 billion on the company.
In court documents and hearings, Airbus admitted five counts of failing to prevent bribery, using a network of secret agents to pay large-scale backhanders to officials in foreign countries, including Ghana, to land high-value contracts.
The scheme was run by a unit at Airbus’ French headquarters, which its one-time chief executive, Tom Enders, reportedly called “bullshit castle”.
According to the report, there are six key actors involved in the scandal regarding Ghana.
Investigators from the UK’s SFO identified them only as Government Official 1 (high ranking and elected), Intermediary 5 (British national and close relative of Government Official 1), Company D (corporate vehicle for Intermediary 5 – shareholder), Intermediary 6 (British national and associate of Intermediary 5), Intermediary 7 (British national and associate of Intermediary 5), as well as Intermediary 8 (Spanish company and front for Intermediary 5).
So, JoyNews set out to find out which companies fit this description.
On December 7, 2009, 53 companies were incorporated in Ghana, among them were Masal Limited, Gold Aircraft Maintenance Company Limited and Gold Aviation Academy.
Some of these names are similar to companies registered in the UK. For example, Masal Limited was incorporated on July 14, 2011, with Gold Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Services Limited, also being incorporated on April 10, 1997.
However, only one name on this list was the same as a company incorporated in the UK in February 2010, that is Deedum Limited, which was incorporated on February 10, 2010.
According to the Registrar General's Department (RGD), Deedum Limited had three directors namely Nana Kwaku Donkor, company secretary; Philip Sean Middlemiss, director and Samuel Adam Mahama, director.
Sources at RGD say the company is not in good standing with its last annual tax returns filing done in 2011. However, companies are often able to carry on their business, albeit illegally, even when they are not in good standing.
JoyNews checks on online sources reveal that on February 10, 2010, Deedum Limited was incorporated with three directors; Leanne Sarah Davis, company secretary; Philip Sean Middlemiss, director and Samuel Adam Foster, director.
These two companies have some things in common.
Apart from sharing a director, its registered address in the UK, 6th Square, Ringley Chase Whitefield, Manchester is the same address Middlemiss gave as his usual residential address when he presented himself to be the director of Deedum Limited Ghana.
Further checks on the directors show that Samuel Adam Foster had the same address as Samuel Adam Mahama, 19 Avenue Road Penge, London.
Also, the address Samuel Adam Mahama gave when he was registering as director of Deedum Limited in Ghana was 19 Avenue Road Penge, London.
So who is Samuel Adam Foster? Companydirectorcheck.com lists his occupation as director, facilities manager and event officer among others.
Who is Philip Sean Middlemiss? A simple google check revealed that he is a television and radio major, who played in the series Coronation Street.
Source: Joy News
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
Joy FM should be commended on this preliminary but highly professional investigation into this matter. If a media outlet can on its own start on such a positive note, then the OSP clothed with even more powers ought not disappoint. I think we are very close to knowing the identity of Government Official 1. The hardest part of the investigation to my mind will be establishing a clear link that GO1 was in fact financially induced in relation to the transaction. So over to the OSP, as well-meaning Ghanaians await!
SO WHO IS GHANA OFFICIAL ONE(GO1)? GHANAIANS WANT TO KNOW.
OH SEE THE BEAUTIFUL THING MAHAMA DID. BUYING AND UPGRADING THE RESOURCES OF OUR MILITARY. THIS SUPPOSED BRIBERY ON THE AIRBUS IS JUST SHOW CASING THE GOOD WORKS OF MAHAMA BUT THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT HIM AS PRESIDENT ARE THOSE DRUMMING HOME TO DISCREDIT HIM. WHICH GOVERNMENT EVEN THE NPP HAS BOUGHT THE MILITARY SOME THING PRECIOUS LIKE THIS. THEY THINK THEY ARE DOING POLITICS BUT BET ME AS YOU WILL, 2020 WE GO SHOW NANA
Why are you so flared over this story.What has this got to do with excavators.The excavators case is being sealt with by the police so cant we also deal with the back door fraud by your darling GO 1. which has shamed the country internationlly.Excavators are internal issue but for GO.1 to receive bribe in order to purchase planes for the country is more serious.Who outside Ghana cares about this excavators issue but for a head of state to receive a bribe to influence the purchase of military planes is very very serious.Do you knowhow much the bribers might have put on top of the actual price of the planes after giving this bribe.It is the nation which loses great.How many unknown deals did this GO.1 did while in office.How can we then entrust the nation to him again.Reason well well Teo.Dont follow blindly.After all whatever he received as a bribe he never gave you a pesewa.He shared with his own family.Wise up .
Where there is corruption a Mahama is involved........ Ghana's bauxite, kanazoe ford, Airbus cut, ......
What is the CID and the Ghana Police waiting for? Samuel Adam Mahama should be invited immediately to answer what he knows about this Airbus Scandal. Why are we so fearful in this country?
Fortunately you do not have the power to tell them which story to publish. I guess you are feeling the pain that your darling GO1 is in trouble. Nothing can hide before the Almighty...all hidden deals to defraud the people of Ghana shall be brought to light if even it takes a thousand years. Same goes to other politicians who think they can amass wealth at the expense of the masses of this country.
While you are busy copying and pasting stories from myjoyonline.com, kindly do one on your reporter who has confessed to being used in the galamsey scandal. Or you intend to play ostrich and pretend his involvement and your continued refusal to report on it shines a bad light on your establishment.You shun stories in Ghana and take serious interest in UK investigations that are ongoing. The spirit of hypocrisy is strong with you people.
John Mahama and his family are international fr@ud$ters.