Former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe, is facing the possibility of serving a 10-year jail term for causing a financial loss of GHC90 million to the state.
The sentence, handed down in absentia as she sought permission from the court to travel to the US for medical treatment, will take effect immediately upon her arrival in Ghana.
Legal practitioner Kingsley Amoako-Boadu clarified that the jail term will only commence once Tamakloe is within the jurisdiction of Ghana. He emphasized that regardless of the duration of her absence, the sentence will begin upon her entry into the country.
There have been discussions about the option of Tamakloe serving her jail term abroad due to concerns about the conditions of Ghanaian prisons. However, Amoako-Boadu highlighted the need for a case-by-case evaluation, emphasizing that Ghana should not be expected to elevate its prison conditions to match those in other countries.
The state has already initiated the process of extraditing Tamakloe back to Ghana to fulfill her sentence. Alfred Tua-Yeboah, the Deputy Attorney-General, assured that various legal clauses are in place to facilitate her return, ensuring that she faces justice for her actions.
Despite potential challenges related to prison conditions, including previous refusals to extradite individuals to Ghana on these grounds, efforts are being made to secure Tamakloe’s return. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold as the process continues.
