Sedina Tamakloe Extradition: The Key Things the US Will Consider Before Sending Her to Ghana

• Sedina Tamakloe Attionu faces extradition to Ghana after a Nevada court sentenced her for financial crimes
• Extradition hinges on the US Secretary of State's decision, considering legal and humanitarian factors
• Tamakloe’s conviction involved over GH¢1.7 million misappropriated during a microfinance scheme gone wrong

The extradition of former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre CEO, Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, is currently in the hands of the US Secretary of State.

A US District Court in Nevada ordered her extradition to serve her jail sentence after being convicted with hard labour on multiple charges, including causing financial loss to the state, stealing, conspiracy, money laundering, and procurement breaches.

Attionu was convicted in Ghana in April 2024 and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment with hard labour on multiple charges, including causing financial loss to the state, stealing, conspiracy, money laundering, and procurement breaches.

Her extradition is, however, subject to a decision by the US Secretary of State.

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According to the US Department of State, the Secretary of State will consider:

• Legal compliance: Whether extradition is lawful under the US-Ghana extradition treaty and US law.
• Humanitarian concerns: Issues such as health, humanitarian grounds or risks of mistreatment.
• International obligations: Ensuring surrender does not violate US commitments under treaties like the Convention Against Torture.
• Submissions from parties: Written materials from the fugitive, her counsel or other interested parties may be considered.

In the extradition proceedings on April 12, the court found that there was probable cause to believe Attionu had committed the offences for which Ghana convicted her.

The court further ordered that she be kept in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, pending a final decision by the US Secretary of State on her surrender.

Why was Sedina Tamakloe Convicted?

According to the facts of the case, which was first filed in court in 2017, the Economic and Organised Crime Office investigated certain fraudulent disbursements of the centre's funds involving Tamakloe and Axim.

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The investigations showed that in June 2014, MASLOC, which has been the subject of other scandals, invested GH¢150,000 in Obaatanpa Micro-Finance Company Limited, a microfinance company located at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.

Afterwards, Tamakloe offered Obaatanpa another sum of GH¢500,000, but the firm refused because of the high interest rate.

However, the expected refund was not reflected in the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre's books.

In another instance, the duo were also found guilty of appropriating over GH¢1.7 million for a sensitisation exercise.

According to the case facts, Microfinance and Small Loans Centre was expected to provide GH¢20 each for 85,300 beneficiaries, amounting to GH¢1.7 million.

However, only GH¢1,300 was spent for the intended purpose, and Tamakloe and Axim misappropriated the rest.

US addresses Ofori-Atta and Tamakloe extradition efforts

YEN.com.gh reported that the US government had stated that it would not interfere in the efforts to extradite Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu.

According to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, this also influenced the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

Source: YEN.com.gh