The Court of Appeal has unanimously overturned the conviction and 10-year custodial sentence imposed on former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, acquitting and discharging her of all charges.
A three-member panel comprising Justices Emmanuel Ankamah, Emmanuel Senyo Amedahe and Samuel Obeng-Diawuo ruled on Thursday that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Delivering the unanimous decision, the appellate court criticised the approach adopted by the trial court, stating that the learned judge had departed from the constitutional principle that every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The court also raised concerns about the manner in which the prosecution handled the case, concluding that the evidence presented did not meet the legal threshold required to sustain the convictions.
The Court of Appeal said its detailed reasons, contained in a 94-page judgment, would be released before the close of business on Thursday.
Sedina Tamakloe was convicted by the High Court in April 2024 following a trial that began on January 30, 2019. She was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty on multiple charges linked to her tenure as MASLOC Chief Executive.
She faced 78 counts, including stealing, conspiracy to steal, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, causing loss to public property, improper payment of public funds, unauthorised commitment and money laundering.
The prosecution, led by then Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame and based largely on investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office, alleged that she misappropriated public funds through several MASLOC programmes.
Among the allegations were the diversion of a GH¢500,000 loan intended for Obaatanpa Microfinance after the institution reportedly rejected the facility over its interest rate, the misappropriation of funds earmarked for MASLOC sensitisation programmes, the diversion of relief funds meant for victims of the Kantamanto Market fire, and the alleged inflation of procurement costs for vehicles and mobile phones.
During the trial, the prosecution called seven witnesses and relied heavily on a forensic audit report to support its case.
However, the Court of Appeal has now set aside the judgment delivered by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe of the High Court, acquitting and discharging Sedina Tamakloe of all charges, bringing an end to the long-running criminal proceedings unless further legal action is pursued.
