The Financial and Economic Division of the Accra High Court has set April 16, 2024 to deliver judgement on GH¢90 million financial loss to the state, allegedly caused by Christine Sedina Tamakloe Attionu and Daniel Axim, former Chief Executive and Operations Manager respectively of Microfinance (MASLOC).
This follows the second accused (A2) Daniel Axim closing his defence last week. Sedina was, however, tried in absentia for failing to return to Ghana after being granted leave to seek medical attention abroad.
Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, a Court of Appeal judge, with an additional responsibility of the High Court, will be delivering the judgement on the stated date.
Madam Attionu and Mr. Axim were charged with 80 counts of conspiracy, 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 allegedly stole a total of GH¢3,198,280 whiles at MASLOC and wilfully caused a GH¢1,973,780 financial loss to the state.
They were also charged with unauthorised commitments resulting in financial obligations for the government to the tune of GH¢61,735,832.50.
The charges against the two also include; 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.
Mrs. Attionu was accused of embezzling GH¢500,000 that was paid by Obaatanpa Microfinance that benefitted from MASLOC support in 2014.
It is also the case of the prosecution that in 2013, following a fire disaster at the Kantamanto Market, then President John Mahama directed MASLOC to provide assistance of GH¢1.46 million to victims of the disaster, but Mrs. Attionu embezzled part of the money.
Mr Axim denied every other change levelled against him, claiming he only acted on the instructions of A1 to write memos for the release of funds as well as picking cheques for her.
The former Head of Operations also accused his boss of having a habit of keeping part of allowances of staff.
The prosecution called about eight witnesses; including Seth Amoah, a former CEO of Masloc, and Samuel Quansah, a board member of now defunct Obaatanpa Microfinance.
A1, after taking flight to the United States for medical treatment in 2022, her sureties, Alex Mould, the former Chief Executive Officer of National Petroleum Authority and Gavivina Tamakloe have been ordered to pay the bail sum of GH¢5 million.
Per the orders, the state is to freeze the sureties’ assets upon failure to pay the bail.
