The Financial and Economic Division of the High Court in Accra has fixed April 16, 2024, to deliver judgment in the case in which “absconded” former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu and interdicted Head of Operations, Daniel Axim, are standing trial.

This was after Daniel Axim, the 2nd Accused person who had earlier indicated he was calling witnesses, was forced to close his defence after he was unable to convince his witnesses to come to court to testify.

The former CEO of MASLOC, Mrs Attionu Tamakloe and Daniel Axim have both pleaded not guilty to a combined 78 charges before the Court presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge.

The 78 counts include conspiracy to steal, stealing, causing financial loss to the state, causing loss to public property, improper payment of public funds, unauthorised commitment resulting in financial obligation for the government, money laundering and contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, who is facing a trial in absentia after the court had declared her “absconded” was the Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) from November 2013 to January 2017.

Daniel Axim, the former Chief Operations Officer at MASLOC was never present in court.

MASLOC is a government agency set up to assist small and medium-scale businesses with low-interest loans.

EIB Network Legal Affairs correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reports that the Court has directed both the prosecution and the defence to file their written submission by March 22 before its judgement on April 16.

Mrs Tamakloe who is the first accused person has been declared ‘absconded’ by the court after failing to appear in court upon being granted permission by the Court for the past two years and is being tried in absentia.

Charges

Counts one to 35 are on charges of stealing and conspiracy to commit crime namely stealing contrary to sections 23(1) and 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).

Counts 36 to 68 are on Causing Financial Loss to the State, Wilfully Causing Financial to the State and Conspiracy to Commit Crime namely Wilfully Causing Financial to the State all of which are contrary to sections 23(1) and 179A (3)(a) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).

Counts 70 and 71 relate to Causing Loss to Public Property, contrary to section 2 of the Public Property Protection Act 1977 (SMCD 140).

Furthermore, counts 72 and 73 have the statement of offence captured as Improper Payment of Public Funds contrary to section 96(1)(c) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).

Counts 74 charges the first accused person, Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, with Unauthorised Commitment, Resulting in Financial Obligation for the Government contrary to section 96(1)(a) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).

Counts 75) to 78 preferred charges of Money Laundering contrary to section 1(1)(c) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2008 (Act 749) and Contravention of the Public Procurement Act contrary to section 92(1), and 40(1)(a) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).