Trial of former MASLOC boss: Judgment set for April 16

The High Court in Accra has fixed April 16, 2024, to deliver judgment in the case in which former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, who has been accused of causing financial loss of GH¢90 million to the state.

The court presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare Botwe announced the date after the second accused person, Daniel Axim, was compelled to close his defence after he was unable to convince his witnesses to come to court to testify.

The court has directed both the prosecution and the defence to file their written submission by March 22.

Charges

Attionu is on trial with Daniel Axim, a former Operations Manager of MASLOC, on 78 counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state, stealing and contravention of the Public Procurement Act, among other charges.

The two have denied any wrongdoing and have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Attionu failed to show up for the trial after the court granted her permission to travel to the United States of America for medical treatment.

The court has since tried her in absentia.

Prosecution’s facts

Per the facts presented by the prosecution, in 2017, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) conducted investigations into certain fraudulent disbursement of MASLOC funds involving the 1st and 2nd accused persons.

The investigations, according to the prosecution, revealed that in June 2014, MASLOC invested a sum of GH¢150,000 in Obaatanpa Micro-Finance Company Limited (Obaatanpa), a licensed Tier II microfinance company located at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.

Thereafter, Attionu offered Obaatanpa a further investment sum of GH¢500,000.

As a result, a MASLOC Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) cheque dated July 24, 2014, in the sum of GH¢500,000 was drawn in favour of Obaatanpa.

Soon after Obaatanpa received the MASLOC cheque, the 1st accused person informed the Board Chairman of Obaatanpa that the investment amount of GH¢500,000 would attract 24 per cent interest.

Obaatanpa decided to return the amount to MASLOC since the interest rate being demanded by the accused person was too high and unprofitable for its business and issued a cheque in refund of the loan amount.

The facts further stated that upon the presentation of the cheque, the 1st accused person declined to accept the cheque and made a demand for a cash refund.

A cash amount of GH¢500,000 was delivered to Attionu by the Board Chairman of Obaatanpa on the night of August 28, 2014, at the Baatsona Total Filling Station located on Spintex Road in Accra.

By a letter dated August 28, 2014, the 1st accused person acknowledged receipt of the refund sum.

In 2015, per letters, some of which were under the hand of Attionu, MASLOC made demands on Obaatanpa for the payment of interest on the principal investment sum of GH¢500,000.

In response to the demands, Obaatanpa wrote a reminder to MASLOC concerning the payment of the loan amount and drew Attionu’s attention to the unjustified demands whereupon the demands stopped.

Investigations subsequently showed that MASLOC had no record of the amount having been paid to it and that Attionu had appropriated the amount of GH¢500,000.

Source:mypublisher24