An Accra High Court has sentenced the former chief executive officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe Attionu to 10 years in jail with hard labour.
Daniel Axim, a former chief operating officer of MASLOC has also been sentenced to 5 years in jail with hard labour.
The two were found guilty on 78 counts of causing financial loss to the state, stealing, conspiracy to steal, money laundering, and causing loss to public property in contravention of public procurement law.
They have 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 but she has since not returned.
Background
Sedinam Tamakloe Attionu (the first accused) and Daniel Axim (the second accused, a former operations manager of MASLOC) face court charges relating to accusations of stealing and causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GHC93 million, among other offences.
Together, the two accused face 78 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 allegedly stole GHC3,198,280 in total while at MASLOC and wilfully caused financial loss worth GHC1,973,780 to the state.
Also while in charge of MASLOC, Ms Tamakloe Attionu and her accomplice allegedly made unauthorised commitments resulting in financial obligations for the government to the tune of GHC61,735,832.50.
The further charges against the two include a loss of GHC22,158,118.85 to public property and improper payment of GHC273,743.66, as well as money laundering of GHC3,704,380, all while in charge of MASLOC.
