Old Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assafuah Calls for Accountability in Sedina Tamakloe's Case
- Old Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assafuah has called for accountability after a US court approved the extradition of Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu to Ghana
- He described the ruling as a legal victory for Ghana but questioned the silence of government officials and NDC supporters over the development
- Assafuah warned that how authorities handle the case upon her return will test the country’s commitment to justice and consistency in fighting corruption
The Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has called for accountability in the case involving Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, the former MASLOC CEO.
The MP’s demands come after a US court approved Sedina’s extradition to Ghana to serve her 10-year sentence.
Source: UGC
A court in Nevada ruled that the legal requirements for extradition had been satisfied, including jurisdiction, treaty validity, and probable cause, clearing the way for her return to Ghana.
Commenting on this in a Facebook post, Assafuah described the ruling as a legal victory for Ghana but added that the handling of the case upon her return would be critical.
“Sedina Extradition Approved: Justice Wins Abroad, But Will Politics Undermine It at Home?”
The Old Tafo MP also questioned why the Government of Ghana and supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress are not jubilating over the ruling of the US court regarding Sedina’s case.
“This is a case that the Republic of Ghana has won. It was the Attorney-General and the Government of Ghana that pursued this extradition request, and the United States court has now vindicated that request in clear and emphatic terms. So the question must be asked: Why are they not jubilating?” he wrote.
“Why are they not mobilising their supporters to march to the airport to receive her on the day she arrives, in the same dramatic fashion they sought to do in the matter involving Ken Ofori-Atta? Why are there no organised processions on the streets of Accra proclaiming that justice has been served? Why the sudden silence when the outcome does not fit the preferred political script? This selective celebration of justice exposes the rank inconsistency and opportunism that have crept into our public discourse,” he added.
Read Vincent Ekow Assafuah's Facebook post below:
Ghana’s case against Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu
Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) under John Mahama’s first term in office.
She is currently a fugitive in the US following a high-profile corruption conviction.
In April 2024, an Accra High Court sentenced her in absentia to 10 years in prison with hard labour after she was found guilty on 78 counts, including stealing, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state.
The court consequently found her responsible for a total financial loss of about GH₵90 million to the state.
Sedina was tried in absentia after she absconded while on permission from the court to seek medical treatment abroad. Daniel Axim, however, testified in person but did not call any witnesses.
Among the offences established by the court was the withdrawal of GH¢500,000 as a loan to Obaatampa Savings and Loans Company, which the convicts later demanded be refunded after the institution declined to agree to a 24 percent interest rate.
Although evidence showed the amount was refunded, it was not reflected in the accounts of MASLOC.
The court also found that over GH¢1.7 million allocated for a sensitisation exercise was misappropriated. MASLOC was expected to pay GH¢20 each to 85,300 beneficiaries, but only GH¢1,300 was used for the intended purpose.
Additionally, only GH¢579,800 out of GH¢1.4 million meant for victims of the Kantamanso inferno was disbursed, with the remainder unlawfully appropriated.
The case further involved inflated procurement costs for vehicles and Samsung mobile phones, with evidence indicating that the amounts paid exceeded prevailing market prices, despite the items being purchased in bulk.
Source: Getty Images
Ofori-Atta no longer on ICE detainee list
In a related development, a former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta had reportedly been released from the custody of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The former minister's name was no longer relevant in the detainee database, per checks made by YEN.com.gh.
Ofori-Atta, who was detained in an ICE detention facility in Virginia for visa overstay, faces multiple corruption charges in Ghana.
Source: YEN.com.gh
