A United States District Court in Nevada has certified the extradition of Sedina Christine Tamakloe-Attionu,, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MASLOC to Ghana to serve her 10 year sentence.
Madam Tamakloe-Ationu was facing multiple criminal charges relating to financial crimes committed during her tenure as CEO of MASLOC.
Consequently, the Court has ordered that she be held in the custody of the United States Marshal pending a final decision by the US Secretary of State on her surrender to Ghana.
Madam Tamakloe-Attionu was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in absentia by a High Court in Accra after being found guilty of causing financial loss to the State.
The offences, committed between 2013 and 2016, included stealing, conspiracy to steal, money laundering and breaches of the Public Procurement Act.
Her co-accused, Mr Daniel Axim, a former Chief Operating Officer of MASLOC, was also convicted in the case.
Madam Tamakloe-Attionu left Ghana after obtaining court permission to seek medical treatment in the United States but failed to return, leading to her trial and conviction in absentia.
She was arrested and detained by United States authorities following an extradition request from Ghana.
The decision follows a hearing held on April 2, 2026, during which the Court considered submissions by the United States Government and legal representatives of the accused.
The Court relied on certified documents submitted through diplomatic channels by the Government of Ghana, including affidavits from State prosecutors and investigators, as well as a declaration from a United States State Department legal adviser.
The Court found that Madam Tamakloe-Attionu, also known as Madam Sedina Sharon Christine Acolatse, was wanted in Ghana to serve her prison term on 72 counts of criminal offences.
These include 25 counts of stealing, nine counts of conspiracy to steal, 20 counts of willfully causing financial loss to the State, 11 counts of conspiracy to commit the same offence, three counts of causing loss to public property, and four counts of money laundering.
According to the US Court, the charges stemmed from multiple schemes through which Madam Tamakloe-Attionu misappropriated more than GH₵25.6 million (approximately US$6 million) while serving as MASLOC CEO between 2013 and 2017.
Investigations by Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) reportedly revealed that Madam Tamakloe-Attionu, together with a former MASLOC Operations Manager, engaged in fraudulent disbursement of public funds.
The Court outlined several schemes, including a microfinance investment arrangement in which GH₵500,000 returned to MASLOC was allegedly diverted and not accounted for.
Another major scheme involved a nationwide sensitisation and monitoring programme for beneficiaries, where over GH₵1.8 million was withdrawn but largely not used for its intended purpose.
The Court also cited evidence of misappropriation of disaster relief funds amounting to about GH₵579,800, which were meant for victims of a market fire in Accra but were not disbursed.
Additionally, Madam Tamakloe-Attionu was found to have engaged in an inflated procurement of mobile phones, resulting in financial loss to the State.
The Court said some funds, including GH₵50,000 allegedly collected through her driver, were unaccounted for.
In its legal analysis, the Court held that the extradition treaty between the United States and Ghana remains valid and applicable to the case.
It ruled that the offences for which extradition was sought were recognised under both Ghanaian and United States law, satisfying the principle of dual criminality.
The Court determined that there was sufficient evidence, including prior convictions in Ghana, to establish probable cause that Tamakloe-Attionu committed the offences.
Source: GNA
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