The United States has sent back Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, the former Chief Executive Officer of Ghana’s Microfinance and Small Loans Centre. This comes after she was found guilty of over 70 corruption charges related to stealing more than $6 million in public funds.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy in Ghana shared this news on Facebook. They said the extradition shows how both countries are working together to fight corruption.
“Justice has no borders. The United States has extradited Sedina Tamakloe Attionu to Ghana, following her conviction on 70+ corruption-related charges, including embezzling more than $6M equivalent in Ghanaian taxpayer funds,” the embassy said.
They added: “This is our strong US-Ghana law enforcement partnership in action demonstrating a shared commitment to accountability, and the first extradition from the United States to Ghana since 2009.”
Background to the case
Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu was convicted in absentia by an Accra High Court in 2024. She received a 10-year prison sentence with hard labour after being found guilty of several crimes like stealing and causing financial loss to the state.
The Microfinance and Small Loans Centre is a Ghanaian government agency. It was set up to give microfinance and small loans to help small businesses and support poverty reduction.
Her crimes happened while she managed and disbursed funds from 2013 to 2016. Prosecutors accused her of misusing public money meant for this programme.
Court records reveal that she left Ghana for medical care in the United States during her trial and did not return. This led to her trial and conviction in absentia.
Anti-corruption cooperation
After the extradition, Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, a law lecturer at the University of Ghana, told JoyNews that this event shows how countries can work together to fight corruption.
“Yes, I think there is an international law angle to the corruption case we have now. And in fact, in most cases, corruption and international law have some strong relationships,” he said.
He continued: “So I think this is an example of how cooperation between two countries through an extradition treaty that binds the two countries can be used to ensure that justice is served for the particular country that has had some problems with a wrong committed by its citizen.”
The extradition comes after a US District Court in Nevada ruled in April. The court accepted Ghana’s request and allowed the former official to be transferred back after finding enough reasons for extradition under the treaty between the two countries.
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