The public has reacted angrily to the acquittal and discharge of former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Microfinance and Small Loan Centre (MASLOC) Sedina Tamakloe Attionu.
The former CEO was jailed 10-years with hard labour in April 2024 in absentia by an Accra High Court together with one other after finding them guilty of causing financial loss to the state.
But the Appeal Court has today, July 30 ruled that the former CEO should not have been sentenced as the prosecution could not prove the charges levelled against her.
She was convicted of 78 counts of offences including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering and improper payment of public funds.
Attionu had initially been granted permission by the High Court in 2021 to travel to the United States for medical treatment while her trial was ongoing.
However, she failed to return to Ghana to continue participating in the proceedings, prompting the court to continue the trial in her absence.
She was found guilty on counts including stealing and money laundering. Businessman Daniel Axim was convicted alongside her.
Her lawyers filed a notice of appeal in May 2024.
On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu returned to Ghana from the United States to begin serving a prison sentence following a successful extradition process initiated by the Government of Ghana.
Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu disclosed that officials of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Prisons Service have since taken her into custody and are making the necessary arrangements for her to begin serving her sentence.
However, on Thursday, July 30, 2026 the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged her.
Following the ruling social media has gone berserk with many expressing total shock and outrage. Many crusaders against corruption have questioned the factors that went into the decision saying the decision was in bad taste.
Some angrily said that there is no point in the many cases the current government has lined up for courts if it cannot work to ensure one of its own is punished by the law.
Below are some of the comments sighted by this paper
Elvis Darko: Sika no ashi. Wadi sika free.
Fawas Amasaman: President Mahama came to prosecute NPP members and free NDC members. Its so clear. God is speaking for the former CJ.
Realist Bala Soniq: I’m not a judge and dunno the facts about her acquittal but my honest question is, if she had any legitimate grounds for an appeal why did she flee from the jurisdiction for all those years?
Paapa Kwame-Eric Akomanyi: Having a goof lawyer as a friend who knows where to find the law is your best bet as a citizen.
Nathan Gadagah: If you have a case in court you must be scared!!! You must truly be scared because thus, this is the last straw.
Steve Manteaw: Not good for the optics no matter how it’s explained.
Manasseh Azure Awuni: It’s shameful and scary at the same time.
OMG: Is this why Mahama removed the chief justice? So far, they have freed all NDC members who had court cases.
Eric Joe Barrista: We have no moral grounds to jail Wontumi or prosecute any opponent again.
By Gifty Boateng