Former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, has been extradited from the United States to Ghana to serve a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted for embezzling state funds estimated at more than $6 million.
Her extradition marks the conclusion of years of legal and diplomatic efforts by Ghanaian and U.S. authorities to bring her back to face justice after she absconded while standing trial on 70+ corruption-related charges.
The former MASLOC boss arrived in Ghana on Tuesday, and was immediately taken into custody by officials of the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Prisons Service, according to Government Spokesperson Felix Ofosu.
Tamakloe-Attionu had secured permission from the High Court in 2021 to travel to the United States for medical treatment while her trial was ongoing.
However, she failed to return to Ghana, prompting the court to continue proceedings in her absence.
In 2024, an Accra High Court convicted her in absentia on more than 70 counts, including stealing and causing financial loss to the state.
The case centred on allegations that she diverted and misappropriated public funds during her tenure at the government-funded microfinance institution, with the amount involved estimated at GHS90 million.
In a statement highlighting the significance of the extradition, U.S. authorities said the action reflected the strong law enforcement partnership between the two countries and their shared commitment to accountability.
It added that this marks the first extradition from the United States to Ghana since 2009,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Felix Kwakye Ofosu disclosed that Ghanaian authorities are also engaging U.S. officials over other pending extradition requests.
He said two of the requests involve former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and his former Chief of Staff, Ernest Darko Akore, who are being sought in connection with investigations into the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) revenue assurance deal