MASLOC trial: State begins processes to extradite former CEO to serve 10-year jail term

The state has begun processes to extradite former CEO of the Microcredit and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe Attionu who was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labour by the High Court on Tuesday, April 16.

The convict, who was MASLOC boss under the John Mahama government, is believed to be in the United States of America. “We have started the process and it is this judgement that is going to speed up the process,” Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah told journalists after the trial.

Good news
He described the ruling of the court as good news, assuring that Ms. Attionu would surely be brought down to face justice. “You know in Ghana we have various laws. You can choose to stay away but so far as we have laws and there is a judgment against you like this one, be rest assured that she will be brought down to face judgment,” he stated.

Ruling
The Accra High Court , presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe sentenced the former MASLOC boss to 10 years in jail with hard labour. Daniel Axim, a former chief operating officer of MASLOC was also sentenced to five years in jail with hard labour.

The two were found guilty on 78 counts of causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GHC93 million, stealing, conspiracy to steal, money laundering, and causing loss to public property in contravention of public procurement law. They had been on trial since 2019.

On 24 February 2023, the court granted an application by the prosecution to conduct the trial in the absence of Attionu, after the court allowed her to go to the United States in 2021 for medical attention and she refused to return.