Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu
An accomplice of Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), has narrowly escaped being sent to jail by an Accra High Court.
Daniel Axim, a former Operations Manager of MASLOC, is standing trial alongside Ms. Attionu for stealing and causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GH¢93 million.
He skipped coming to court on three consecutive sittings and the court presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
Yesterday, when the case was called, Mr Axim finally appeared before the court and the judge told him that she was planning to send him to Nsawam Medium Security Prison if he had refused to come to court.
The judge then rescinded the bench warrant for his arrest after his counsel Augustines Obuor intervened and said the situation would not repeat itself.
The court then revised the bail conditions granted to Mr. Axim by including an order that he should report to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) every Friday until the end of the legal vacation which is September 31, 2019.
The judge warned the accused persons that she would not countenance any form of absenteeism from any of them, saying “going forward, if anybody dreams of absenting themselves from a criminal matter, it is a nightmare, they should wake up.”
She added that should any of the accused persons decide not to come to court on any of the agreed sitting dates, she would not hesitate to rescind the bail that she earlier granted them.
Main Trial
While Mr Axim has already been granted GH¢1 million bail with one surety, Ms. Attionu is on GH¢5 million bail with two sureties.
Ms Attionu and Mr Axim have been dragged to the court for allegedly stealing, causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GH¢93 million, among other charges.
Together, the two are facing 78 counts of charges including conspiracy to steal, stealing, and unauthorised commitment resulting in a financial obligation for the government, improper payment, money laundering and contravention of the Public Procurement Act.
The two accused persons allegedly stole a total amount of GH¢3,198,280 while at MASLOC and wilfully caused a GH¢1,973,780 financial loss to the state.
Again, Ms. Attionu and her accomplice while in charge of MASLOC allegedly made unauthorized commitments resulting in financial obligations for the government to the tune of GH¢61,735,832.50.
The charges against the two also include a GH¢22,158,118.85 loss to public property and improper payment of GH¢273,743.66 as well as money laundering of GH¢3,704,380 while in charge.
Sitting continues on October 8, 2019.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak