The Court of Appeal has struck out as withdrawn an application by the Attorney-General seeking to stay the execution of its decision acquitting and discharging former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer, Christine Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu.
The State informed the court on Wednesday, August 12, that it had filed a notice of withdrawal on August 10, effectively bringing the application before the Court of Appeal to an end.
The Attorney-General had earlier asked the court to suspend the effect of the acquittal pending the determination of a further appeal.
The State argued that allowing the acquittal to take immediate effect could create an opportunity for Mrs Tamakloe-Attionu to leave the jurisdiction, potentially making it difficult to pursue the appeal.
Lawyers for the former MASLOC CEO, however, raised concerns about the manner in which the application was withdrawn.
They argued that the Attorney-General should have sought the court’s permission before filing the notice of withdrawal, particularly because Wednesday had already been fixed for the court to deliver its ruling on the application.
Speaking to the media after proceedings, counsel for Mrs Tamakloe-Attionu, Sidney Antonio, said the defence believed the proper procedure was for the Attorney-General to seek leave of the court before withdrawing the application.
“Today’s date was given by the court for the court to deliver its ruling, and we were just served yesterday with a notice of withdrawal. We believe the proper thing should have been for the Attorney-General to have sought leave of the court before going ahead and withdrawing because today’s business was for delivering of ruling and that should have gone on today,” he said.
Mr Antonio was also asked about reports that the Attorney-General had filed a similar application at the Supreme Court after withdrawing the one before the Court of Appeal.
He said the defence had not been formally served with any such application.
“We have not been served formally with any such motion, but as you have heard, we have also heard about it,” he said.
The development follows the Court of Appeal’s decision in July 2026 to overturn the 10-year prison sentence imposed on Mrs Tamakloe-Attionu by the Accra High Court in April 2024.
The appellate court acquitted and discharged her after concluding that the prosecution had failed to prove its case.
Mrs Tamakloe-Attionu had been convicted by the High Court on 78 counts, including stealing, causing financial loss to the state and money laundering, and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
The Attorney-General subsequently sought to stay the effect of the acquittal while pursuing a further appeal.
