Former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, remains in prison custody despite the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge her, according to Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu rejected claims that the former MASLOC boss had either been released after returning to Ghana or had not been held by prison authorities.
He maintained that Ms Tamakloe-Attionu had been in lawful custody from the moment she arrived in the country until the Court of Appeal delivered its judgment.
“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.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu further stated that the appellate court’s ruling had not resulted in her immediate release, insisting that she was still being held.
“I can tell you Sedina has not been released; she’s still in custody,” he said
This comes a few days after the Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie granted approval for the Court of Appeal to sit during the legal vacation to hear an application filed by the Attorney-General seeking a stay of execution of the judgment that acquitted and discharged Ms Tamakloe-Attionu.
The application is expected to be heard on August 16.
Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party has announced plans to embark on a protest on Thursday, August 6, describing the Court of Appeal’s decision as flawed. The party has also accused the government of using state institutions to target opposition figures while protecting its political associates.
Ms Tamakloe-Attionu had earlier been convicted by the High Court and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for causing financial loss to the state. However, the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction after ruling that prosecutors had failed to establish her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Following the acquittal, the Attorney-General filed an application at the Supreme Court seeking to suspend the effect of the Court of Appeal’s judgment pending the hearing of the State’s appeal.
