The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly condemned the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer, Sedinam Christine Tamakloe Attionu, describing the ruling as a “travesty of justice” and alleging that it was politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the party’s General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, the NPP expressed “utter shock and dismay” over the appellate court’s decision to overturn Sedinam’s conviction, which had resulted in a 10-year prison sentence imposed by the High Court in April 2024.
The party recalled that she had been convicted on multiple charges, including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and breaches of the Public Procurement Act, following a trial that lasted approximately five years. According to the NPP, the trial court concluded that her actions as MASLOC CEO between 2013 and 2016 caused a financial loss of nearly GH¢90 million to the state.
The statement further noted that Sedinam had left Ghana while her trial was ongoing and was convicted in absentia before being extradited from the United States, arriving in Ghana on June 9, 2026.
The opposition party argued that the High Court’s judgment was based on substantial evidence, including findings relating to alleged fraudulent disbursements, unaccounted-for funds, and the diversion of MASLOC resources.
According to the NPP, the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn the conviction “defies logic, law and common sense,” given what it described as the weight of evidence presented during the trial.
The party alleged that the acquittal formed part of a broader pattern in which individuals affiliated with the governing party have benefited from discontinued prosecutions or other legal relief since January 2025.
The NPP accused the Attorney-General of selectively applying justice by discontinuing or terminating cases involving persons connected to the governing administration while continuing prosecutions against opposition figures.
The party argued that the latest ruling reinforces concerns about what it described as political interference in Ghana’s criminal justice system and expressed fears that public confidence in the judiciary could be undermined.
Demands by the NPP
In its statement, the NPP made several demands, including:
- That the Attorney-General discontinue all criminal cases involving former appointees of the previous NPP administration if the same standard is being applied to individuals linked to the current government.
- That Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, be acquitted and discharged, arguing that his conviction and 20-year prison sentence are the subject of an appeal and were allegedly not supported by sufficient evidence.
- That the Attorney-General publish a comprehensive account of all cases involving persons affiliated with the governing party that have been discontinued or withdrawn since January 2025, together with the reasons for those decisions.
- That the Judicial Council and the leadership of the Judiciary take steps to restore public confidence in the administration of justice.
The NPP stated that it would pursue every lawful legal avenue available, including seeking a review of the Court of Appeal’s decision at the Supreme Court where permissible under Ghanaian law.
The party maintained that the fight against corruption should be impartial and insisted that accountability must not be influenced by political affiliation.
“The fight against corruption cannot and must not be a partisan convenience. Ghana deserves better. The public purse belongs to the people, not to any political party,” the statement concluded.