Court Of Appeal Acquits Former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe Attionu

The Court of Appeal has acquitted and discharged former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, after overturning her conviction in a case involving the alleged misappropriation of public funds.

In a unanimous decision delivered on Thursday, the three member panel ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court therefore set aside the High Court’s judgment, which had sentenced Ms Tamakloe Attionu to 10 years in prison.

The former MASLOC Chief Executive had been convicted in April 2024 on charges including stealing, conspiracy to steal, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, causing loss to public property, and procurement related offences.

She was tried and convicted in absentia after failing to return to Ghana from the United States, where she had travelled for medical treatment with the court’s permission.

The prosecution had alleged that while serving as MASLOC Chief Executive between 2013 and 2017, Ms Tamakloe Attionu unlawfully diverted public funds and breached procurement regulations, resulting in significant financial loss to the state.

However, during the appeal, her lawyers argued that the prosecution’s evidence was insufficient to support the convictions and that the trial court had made errors in its assessment of the evidence.

They also contended that the burden of proof had been wrongly shifted to the defence.

After reviewing the case, the Court of Appeal agreed with the defence, ruling that the evidence presented by the prosecution did not meet the legal standard required for a criminal conviction.

The court consequently acquitted and discharged Ms Tamakloe Attionu on all counts.

The judgment brings to an end her appeal against the High Court’s conviction, although the Attorney General has the option of appealing the decision at the Supreme Court.