Former chief executive of Ghana’s Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Christine Tamakloe-Attionu, has asked the Court of Appeal to overturn her conviction and 10-year prison sentence.
She argues that the charges brought against her were legally defective and violated her constitutional right to a fair trial.
In a report by Ghanaweb.com, the appeal submissions filed in February, Tamakloe-Attionu’s lawyers challenged a 2024 High Court judgment that convicted her on multiple counts, including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, improper payment of public funds and breaches of public procurement laws.
The former MASLOC boss contends that several charges lacked sufficient particulars and merely repeated the wording of the relevant statutes without clearly outlining the specific acts she was alleged to have committed.
Her legal team argues that the omissions breached Article 19(2)(d) of Ghana’s Constitution, which guarantees accused persons the right to be informed in detail of the nature of the charges against them.
“This is an appeal against the judgment of the High Court… delivered on 16th April 2024,” the filing states, adding that the conviction should be set aside because of alleged procedural and evidentiary shortcomings during the trial.
Tamakloe-Attionu and a co-accused, Daniel Axim, were first arraigned in 2019 over allegations involving the management and disbursement of MASLOC funds during her tenure between 2013 and 2017.
One of the central allegations concerned a GH¢500,000 investment transaction involving Obaatanpa Micro Finance Company Limited. Prosecutors alleged that Tamakloe-Attionu rejected a refund cheque and instead requested payment in cash, which was subsequently delivered to her.
Her lawyers, however, argue that prosecutors failed to establish beyond reasonable doubt that she dishonestly appropriated the funds.
They further dispute the authenticity of a key acknowledgement letter relied upon by the prosecution, insisting that the burden rested on the state to prove authorship of the document.
The appeal also challenges findings relating to the withdrawal of more than GH¢1.8 million for a nationwide sensitisation and monitoring programme.
According to the defence, prosecutors failed to call key witnesses, including programme beneficiaries and regional MASLOC officials, whose testimony could have assisted the court.
On procurement-related charges involving vehicles, Tamakloe-Attionu maintains that no payments were made under the contract during her tenure.
Her lawyers argue that the agreement was renegotiated by a subsequent management team and payments were only made in 2018, more than a year after she left office.
The defence therefore contends that she cannot be held liable for losses arising from transactions completed after her departure from office.
The appeal further cites testimony from MASLOC’s former Head of Finance concerning ex gratia payments.
According to the defence, the witness testified that the payments were processed through established procedures based on documentation from the Office of the President and the institution’s human resources department.
The Court of Appeal is expected to determine whether the conviction and sentence should stand or whether the case warrants a retrial or acquittal.
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