The trial of Daniel Axim, the interdicted Head of Operations, and Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, the “absconded” former leader of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), is scheduled to begin on April 16, 2024, by the Financial and Economic Division of the High Court in Accra.
This came about after Daniel Axim, the second accused, who had previously threatened to bring witnesses, was compelled to withdraw his defense due to his inability to get his witnesses to appear in court and provide testimony.
Before the court presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting in additional High Court capacity, Mrs. Tamakloe and Mr. Axim entered not guilty pleas to a total of 78 charges.
The 78 charges include money laundering, conspiracy to steal, theft, stealing, causing damage to public property, financial loss to the state, improper payment of public funds, unauthorised commitment that results in a financial obligation for the government, and violation of the Public Procurement Act.
The court deemed Sedina “absconded,” so she is being tried in absentia. Sedina was the CEO of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) from November 2013 to January 2017.
Although Daniel Axim, the former MASLOC Chief Operations Officer, has always been in court. A government organization called MASLOC was established to provide low-interest loans to small and medium-sized companies.
Prior to its decision on April 16, the court has instructed the prosecution and defense to submit their written arguments by March 22.
The first accused, Mrs. Tamakloe, has been tried in absentia after the court ruled her to be “absconded” due to her failure to appear in court despite the court’s permission to do so for the previous two years.
