State prosecutors are pursuing the two sureties who satisfied the bail conditions of the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Sedinam Tamakloe Attionu over her continuous absence from the trial.
Sedimam Tamakloe was on February 14, 2019 granted bail in the sum of GHc5 million with two sureties by the court, presided over by Mrs Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe.
This was after she pleaded not guilty to 78 counts of causing financial loss to the state, stealing, contravention of the public procurement act, among other charges.
She has since last year October been absent from court sittings after she was said to have travelled out of the country for medical examination.
In court on Monday, the prosecution led by Stella Ohene Appiah, a Principal State Attorney said the prosecution has filed two applications to deal with the situation.
The first application she said is a forfeiture of recognisance of sureties and the second is an application for her to be tried in absentia.
EIB Network’s Court Correspondent Murtala Inusah reports that Mr Gavivina Tamakloe formerly with National Theatre and Alex Kofi Mensah Mould former GNPC CEO who stood as sureties are to be served with forfeiture processes to come to court to explain why they should not pay the GHc5m bail sum to the state.
The judge, Justice Asare-Botwe has subsequently adjourned the case to March 10, 2022, hoping for the sureties to be served with the processes and appear in court.
Daniel Axim, a former operations Manager of MASLOC is the second accused person and was present in court.
Background
The former MASLOC CEO and Mr. Axim have been dragged to court for allegedly stealing, causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GH¢93 million, among other charges.
Together, the two are facing 78 counts of charges including conspiracy to steal, stealing, unauthorised commitment, resulting in a financial obligation for the government, improper payment, money laundering and contravention of the Public Procurement Act.
The two accused persons allegedly stole a total amount of GH¢3,198,280 whiles at MASLOC and willfully caused a GH¢1,973,780 financial loss to the State.
Again, Ms Attionu and her accomplice while in charge of MASLOC allegedly made unauthorized commitments resulting in financial obligations for the government to the tune of GH¢61,735,832.50.
The charges against the two also include a GH¢22,158,118.85 loss to public property and improper payment of GH¢273,743.66 as well as money laundering of GH¢3,704,380 whiles in charge.
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