Sedina acquittal exposes ‘sloppy’ prosecution by Attorney-General’s Department – Inusah Fuseini

Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Inusah Fuseini, has stressed that the primary responsibility of prosecutors is to pursue justice rather than merely obtain convictions, following the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu. Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, August 1, Mr Fuseini said the ruling served as an important reminder that the criminal justice system must remain anchored in the principle that every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. “The prosecution must always seek justice in the matter and not be in a hurry to convict,” he said.

According to the former Tamale Central MP, a prosecutor who prioritises obtaining convictions over ensuring justice risks undermining the integrity of the criminal justice system. “It’s an overzealous prosecutor who puts conviction over justice,” he stated. Mr Fuseini further argued that the conduct of an accused person, including leaving the jurisdiction or being absent during proceedings, should never lessen the prosecution’s legal obligation to establish every element of its case to the required standard.

“Running away or being outside the jurisdiction should not relieve the prosecution of their burden to prove beyond reasonable doubt,” he added. His remarks come in the wake of the Court of Appeal’s decision on Thursday to overturn Ms Tamakloe-Attionu’s conviction and 10-year prison sentence. The appellate court held that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, setting aside the convictions previously entered against the former MASLOC Chief Executive by the High Court.

Ms Tamakloe-Attionu had been convicted in absentia before being extradited from the United States to Ghana on June 9, 2026. She began serving her sentence at the Nsawam Medium Security Female Prison on June 24 before successfully challenging the conviction at the Court of Appeal. Following the judgment, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, announced that the state would challenge the decision at the Supreme Court, signalling that the legal battle over the high-profile corruption case is far from over.

Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Inusah Fuseini, has criticised the Attorney-General’s Department over its handling of the prosecution in the Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu case. He described its work as “sloppy” following the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit the former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer. Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, August 1, Mr Fuseini said the appellate court’s judgment pointed to serious deficiencies in the manner the case was prosecuted.

He argued that the ruling showed the charges preferred against Madam Tamakloe-Attionu were fundamentally flawed because they failed to provide sufficient particulars. “It also shows clearly by the judgment that the Court of Appeal found that the Attorney-General’s Department did a sloppy job at the prosecution. The charges that they drafted were defective for not providing sufficient particulars,” he said.