The Minority in Parliament has challenged the government’s account of the incarceration of former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, alleging that she was not committed to prison immediately after returning to Ghana following her extradition.
According to the Minority, the former MASLOC boss only began serving her 10-year prison sentence on June 24, 2026, despite arriving in the country on June 9. The opposition contends that the 15-day gap between her return and incarceration raises serious legal and constitutional concerns over the enforcement of the court’s judgment.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament, a member of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, disputed earlier claims attributed to the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, that Ms Tamakloe had been placed in prison custody immediately upon her arrival.
“We can categorically state that until yesterday, June 24, Madam Sedina Tamakloe was not in prison custody. From June 9, when she arrived, to June 24, she was not in prison custody. That is a matter of record,” Mr Awuah asserted.
Minority Alleges Government Interference
The Minority argued that the delay in enforcing the prison sentence amounted to interference with the execution of a lawful court order.
Mr Awuah maintained that preventing a convicted person from immediately serving a custodial sentence imposed by a court of competent jurisdiction constituted contempt of court and undermined the rule of law.
“By preventing her from serving the prison term for the 15 days that she has been in Ghana, government has interfered with a lawful order of a court of competent jurisdiction, and that is contempt of court. The government will only do that because Madam Sedina Tamakloe is one of its own, and that has been the trend,” he alleged.
He further claimed that the former MASLOC Chief Executive had received assurances that efforts were underway to overturn her conviction.
“She is in prison custody now. She was admitted yesterday, and she has been given assurances. Another assurance she has been given is that they are going to work around the clock to have the decision overturned,” Mr Awuah claimed.
The Minority has not provided evidence to substantiate the allegation, and the government has yet to publicly respond to the latest claims.
Background
Ms Tamakloe was convicted in absentia in 2024 after a lengthy criminal trial relating to her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC. The High Court found her guilty on multiple counts, including causing financial loss to the state, conspiracy and other offences linked to the management of MASLOC funds.
She was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, while the former Operations Manager of MASLOC, Daniel Axim, received a five-year custodial sentence.
Following the conviction, Ghanaian authorities initiated extradition proceedings after Ms Tamakloe remained outside the country’s jurisdiction during portions of the trial.
Her return to Ghana earlier this month was widely regarded as a significant milestone in the enforcement of the court’s judgment.
The Minority’s latest allegations have now added a fresh political dimension to the high-profile case, with questions emerging over the circumstances surrounding the execution of the sentence and whether due process was followed after her arrival in the country.
