Sedina Tamakloe Still in Custody Despite Court of Appeal Acquittal, Says Minister

• Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu confirmed that former MASLOC boss Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu remained in prison custody after the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged her
• The minister rejected claims that Tamakloe-Attionu had never been held in lawful custody or had returned home following the appellate court's ruling
• The Attorney-General's application for a stay of execution of the acquittal judgment is scheduled to be heard on August 16

Former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu remains behind bars despite the Court of Appeal's decision to acquit and discharge her, Minister of State in charge of Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu has said.

Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV, Ofosu firmly rejected widespread claims that Ms Tamakloe-Attionu had either been freed or had never been held in lawful custody after returning to Ghana.

"For the avoidance of doubt. The day that Sedina landed in Ghana till the Court of Appeal made its pronouncements, she has always been in prison custody. So, the claims that she was home and was not kept by Prison authorities are blatantly false… Should we publish pictures or show videos before you believe that she was in prison?" he said.

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The minister went further, confirming that the appellate court's ruling had not led to her release. "I can tell you Sedina has not been released; she's still in custody," he stated.

Stay of Execution Sought

The continued detention follows a move by the Attorney-General to challenge the acquittal at the highest level.

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie granted permission for the Court of Appeal to convene during the legal vacation to consider the Attorney-General's application for a stay of execution of the judgment.

That hearing is set for August 16.

The Attorney-General had separately filed an application at the Supreme Court seeking to halt the effect of the acquittal ruling pending the outcome of the state's appeal.

Tamakloe-Attionu was originally convicted by the High Court on charges of causing financial loss to the state and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Court of Appeal overturned that conviction, ruling that the prosecution had not established its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The development has drawn a political response from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which announced plans to stage a protest on Thursday, August 6.

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The party described the Court of Appeal's decision as erroneous and accused the government of selectively prosecuting opposition figures while protecting its own allies from accountability.

AG appeals Sedina Tamakloe's acquittal

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that Ghana’s Attorney General had directed the Director of Public Prosecutions to appeal the acquittal of Tamakloe-Attionu.

The Court of Appeal had unanimously acquitted the former MASLOC CEO, who had been convicted in absentia on corruption-related charges.

Tamakloe-Attionu’s lawyer had said the appellate court had mainly focused on flaws in the charge sheet used by the prosecution throughout the trial.

Source: YEN.com.gh