By Iddi Yire, GNA
Accra, June 09, GNA – Officials of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Prisons Service have taken Madam Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, a former Chief Executive of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) into custody and are making the necessary preparations for her to begin her 10 year prison sentence.
This follows her arrival of the country after her extradition by the United States authorities.
A statement issued by Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Presidential Spokesman and Minister of State in-charge of Government Communications, recalled that in April, 2024, the High Court convicted and sentenced Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu in absentia for corruption related charges.
He said in July 2024, the Government of Ghana submitted an extradition request to the United States for her surrender to Ghana to serve her sentence.
“After over two years of court proceedings, the United States authorities notified the Government of her surrender in January this year. She arrived in Accra on Tuesday, June 9, 2026,” the Minister said.
He noted that meanwhile, the Attorney-General was scheduled to meet his counterparts at the United States Department of Justice for a bilateral discussion on all pending extradition requests between the two countries.
Tamakloe-Attionu absconded during the trial after the High Court presided over by Justice Mrs Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe granted her plea to seek medical attention abroad.
Her accomplice, Daniel Axim, also a former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the same Institution, was also incarcerated for five years in hard labour.
They were charged for stealing GHS3.19 million while at MASLOC and willfully causing GH¢1.97 million financial loss to the State.
The two were also accused of making unauthorised commitments resulting in financial obligations for the Government to the tune of GHS 61.74 million.
They also misappropriated monies for fire victims of Kantamanto traders and bought vehicles and mobile phones for MASLOC exceeding the market prices, among others.
They were found culpable after the trial, though they denied conspiring to cause financial loss to the State, conspiring to steal, stealing more than GHS1.7m, money laundering, improper payment and contravention of public procurement laws.
Passing judgement, the Court of Appeal Judge, with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge, said considered the fact that the two convicts stole GHS1.7 million being part of an amount meant for a sensitisation exercise.
To deter “professional criminals who engaged professional crime” according to the judge, she directed prosecution to undertake forfeit proceedings against Tamakloe-Attionu, the main accused.
GNA
Edited by Beatrice Asamani Savage