Sedina Tamakloe Acquitted: How Ghanaians Reacted to Former MASLOC CEO’s Appeals Court Victory
- The Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's conviction of former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe, acquitting and discharging her
- Tamakloe had previously been found guilty of causing financial loss to the state following a trial held in absentia and her extradition from the US
- Journalists, NPP members and social media users expressed strong and divided opinions about the ruling online
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The Court of Appeal has acquitted and discharged Sedina Tamakloe, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), setting aside a High Court judgment that had found her guilty of causing financial loss to the state along with other related offences.
The ruling effectively clears Tamakloe of all charges for which she had been convicted and sentenced, bringing to a close a high-profile legal case that involved embezzlement allegations, a trial conducted in absentia, and her extradition from the United States.
Source: Facebook
The court indicated that its full reasons, contained in a 94-page judgment, would be made available by the close of the day.
Reaction to the Court of Appeal's Ruling
The decision sparked swift and heated responses across Ghanaian social media.
Award-winning Fourth Estate journalist Kwame Kekeli Bokpe wrote:
"This country is becoming a joke. I want to read that judgment."
Read Kwame Kekeli Bokpe's Facebook post below:
Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, a former CEO of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and NPP member, interpreted the outcome as politically motivated.
"No surprises here; Now Ghanaians know John Mahama came to witch hunt NPP people and not to fight corruption. Such a shame."
Fellow NPP member Sir-Obama Pokuase took note of the specific nature of the acquitta.
"Not just a discharge oo but acquittal so that no future govt can prosecute her again over the same offence. Justice is now dispensed based on party affiliation. We're f××ked up!"
Read Sir-Obama Pokuase's Facebook post below:
Ghanaian journalist Justice Baidoo of DW TV questioned the timing of the ruling.
"Only a day after they were celebrating democratic progress and accountability? How does a party that came to power on the back of ORAL explain this?"
Photographer and social media activist Agyemang Duah E. Kweku offered a more sardonic take:
"Ontumi's hopes just went up. What the hell is this? E mean say madam went on vacation kɛkɛ in jail. 'The court indicated that its full reasons, contained in a 94-page judgment, would be made available by the close of the day.' Close of day huh..! We dey wait..! Herh..!"
Read Agyemang Duah E. Kweku's Facebook post below:
Background of the MASLOC case
The case against Tamakloe centred on allegations of financial malfeasance during her tenure at MASLOC, a state institution established to provide credit to micro and small-scale enterprises.
Her trial proceeded in absentia before she was extradited from the United States to face justice in Ghana, making the case one of the more closely watched financial crime prosecutions in recent years.
The Court of Appeal's decision to acquit rather than merely discharge means Tamakloe cannot face prosecution on the same charges at a future date.
Sedina Tamakloe extradited to Ghana
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu had been extradited to Ghana to serve a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted of corruption-related offences.
The former Mahama appointee had been found guilty of stealing and misappropriating funds belonging to the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC).
Her conviction had involved allegations that more than GH¢1.7 million was misappropriated during a microfinance scheme that failed.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
