AG heads to Supreme Court over Sedina ruling

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice has directed the immediate filing of an appeal to the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal’s decision acquitting and discharging former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Attionu Tamakloe, signalling the State’s determination to challenge the ruling. In a press release issued on Thursday, July 30, the Attorney-General said the Director of Public Prosecutions had been instructed to file a notice of appeal together with an application for a stay of execution of the Court of Appeal’s judgment pending the determination of the case by the Supreme Court.

The Attorney-General’s intervention comes hours after the Court of Appeal overturned the former MASLOC CEO’s conviction and prison sentence, acquitting her of all charges. According to the statement, Ms Tamakloe had been prosecuted on 78 counts involving a range of alleged offences, including conspiracy to steal, stealing, conspiracy to cause financial loss to the State, causing financial loss to the State, causing loss to public property, improper payment of public funds, unauthorised commitments resulting in financial obligations to the government, money laundering and breaches of the Public Procurement Act.

The Attorney-General recalled that Ms Tamakloe was tried and convicted in absentia by the High Court (Financial Division 2), presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, sitting as an additional High Court judge. Following her conviction, she was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. The statement noted that during the appellate proceedings, the Republic opposed the appeal by filing written submissions and argued that the appeal lacked merit and should be dismissed.

However, after the Court of Appeal acquitted the former MASLOC boss, the Attorney-General said the State had resolved to challenge the decision before the country’s highest court. “Having received notice of the Court of Appeal’s decision, the Attorney-General has directed the Director of Public Prosecutions to immediately file a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court, together with an application for a stay of execution of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal,” the statement read.

The Attorney-General further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the judicial process, expressing confidence in the prospects of the appeal. “The Attorney-General remains committed to the due process of law and is confident that the appeal before the Supreme Court will succeed,” the statement added.

With the AG’s appeal, Ghana stands on a crossroad as Ghanaians look forward to determining whether the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge Ms Tamakloe will stand or be overturned by the Supreme Court.

Author: Joyce Owusu