The Attorney-General has directed the Director of Public Prosecutions to immediately file a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court challenging the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre Chief Executive Officer Sedina Attionu Tamakloe of all 78 charges brought against her.
The Attorney-General’s office confirmed the decision in a press release, stating that it remains confident the appeal before the Supreme Court will succeed, alongside an application for a stay of execution of the judgment pending determination of the case.
The Attorney-General’s office moved swiftly after receiving notice of the Court of Appeal’s decision, which overturned Tamakloe’s original conviction and 10-year prison sentence.
Seventy-Eight Counts Covering Multiple Offences
According to the release, Tamakloe faced an extensive list of charges connected to her tenure at MASLOC, spanning financial crimes and procurement violations.
“Ms. Tamakloe was charged with seventy-eight counts of various offences, including conspiracy to steal, stealing, conspiracy to cause financial loss to the State, causing financial loss to the State, causing loss to public property, improper payment of public funds, unauthorized commitments resulting in financial obligations to the Government, money laundering, and breaches of the Public Procurement Act.”
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL & MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
The original trial proceeded without Tamakloe present in court, with the High Court’s Financial Division 2 handling the case under a specific presiding judge.
“She was tried and convicted in absentia by the High Court, Financial Division 2, presided over by Her Ladyship Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, JA, sitting as an additional High Court Judge. Upon her conviction, she was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment”.
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL & MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
This conviction and sentence remained in place until Tamakloe’s eventual extradition from the United States earlier this year, after which the Court of Appeal reviewed and ultimately overturned the High Court’s original decision.
State Opposed the Appeal Before the Court of Appeal
The Attorney-General’s office confirmed that prosecutors actively contested Tamakloe’s appeal at the Court of Appeal stage, submitting formal arguments defending the original conviction. “The Republic opposed the appeal by filing written submissions, contending that the appeal lacked merit and ought to be dismissed,” the statement said.
Despite this opposition, the Court of Appeal ultimately ruled in Tamakloe’s favour, finding that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against her beyond a reasonable doubt and ordering her full acquittal and discharge.
Notice of Appeal Filed to Supreme Court
Following the Court of Appeal’s ruling, the Attorney-General moved immediately to escalate the matter to Ghana’s highest court, instructing the Director of Public Prosecutions to initiate the appeal process without delay.
“Having received notice of the Court of Appeal’s decision, the Attorney-General has directed the Director of Public Prosecutions to immediately file a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court, together with an application for a stay of execution of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal”.
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL & MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
The request for a stay of execution indicates that the Attorney-General’s office is seeking to prevent the Court of Appeal’s acquittal from taking full legal effect while the Supreme Court reviews the case, a procedural step that could have significant implications for Tamakloe’s legal status during the appeal process.
Attorney General Expresses Confidence in Supreme Court Appeal
The statement closed with a firm expression of confidence from the Attorney-General’s office regarding the eventual outcome of the Supreme Court appeal, framing the decision to appeal as consistent with the office’s broader commitment to due process.
Tamakloe’s case has followed an unusually complex legal trajectory, beginning with her conviction in absentia in April 2024, followed by her arrest by US Marshals in January 2026 pursuant to Ghana’s extradition request, her physical return to Ghana in June 2026, and her subsequent acquittal by the Court of Appeal on July 30, 2026.
The Attorney-General’s decision to appeal this acquittal marks the next chapter in a case that has already spanned more than two years and crossed international borders.
With the notice of appeal now filed, the case moves to Ghana’s Supreme Court, where justices will need to determine whether the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit Tamakloe on all 78 counts should stand or be reversed.
The accompanying application for a stay of execution suggests the Attorney-General’s office is seeking to preserve the legal status quo, potentially preventing Tamakloe’s acquittal from becoming final while the Supreme Court reviews the underlying evidence and legal reasoning behind the Court of Appeal’s ruling.
A High-Profile Test of Ghana’s Appellate System
The case has already drawn significant public attention given Tamakloe’s former position at a state-affiliated financial institution and the scale of charges originally brought against her.
Her acquittal, followed swiftly by the Attorney-General’s decision to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court, positions this case as a notable test of how Ghana’s appellate courts handle complex financial crime prosecutions involving former public officials, particularly where convictions were originally secured in the accused person’s absence.
As the Supreme Court prepares to take up the matter, both the prosecution and Tamakloe’s legal team are likely to present extensive arguments regarding the sufficiency of evidence presented during the original trial, with the court’s eventual ruling expected to carry significant implications for how similar in absentia prosecutions are handled in Ghana going forward.
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