Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has expressed concern over the acquittal and discharge of former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, warning that the ruling could reinforce public perceptions that politically exposed persons escape accountability when governments change.
Speaking on the Keypoints with Alfred Ocansey, on the Court of Appeal’s decision, Bentil said while he gives judges the benefit of the doubt, the outcome of the case raises troubling questions about Ghana’s commitment to fighting corruption.
He argued that although procedural errors may exist in criminal prosecutions, the justice system must ensure that such errors do not completely undermine efforts to hold public officials accountable.
“Justice must not just be done, it must be seen to have been done.”
Bentil said he is increasingly worried by what he described as a pattern in which politicians make public predictions about legal outcomes before they occur, only for subsequent court decisions to appear consistent with those expectations.
According to him, while one case alone does not establish a trend, repeated incidents should not be ignored.
He cited previous politically sensitive cases, including those involving banking sector matters and the discontinuation of prosecutions through nolle prosequi, saying they contribute to a growing public perception that political transitions often determine the fate of corruption prosecutions.
“There is a clear trend that the smart thing to do, if you get into trouble, is to find a way to escape and wait for your political party to return to power.”
Bentil argued that the latest ruling sends the wrong signal in the fight against corruption.
He maintained that the focus should remain on whether offences were committed rather than allowing technical deficiencies in prosecutions to completely erase criminal accountability.
According to him, even a single sustainable charge would have been sufficient to secure a conviction if supported by evidence.
“One charge alone is enough to put somebody in jail.”
The IMANI Vice President also criticised the quality of criminal prosecutions in high-profile corruption cases.
He said prosecutors must improve the way they prepare cases to avoid losing potentially strong prosecutions because of procedural or technical shortcomings.
Referring to previous cases, Bentil said concerns over prosecutorial competence are not new, adding that weak case preparation has repeatedly undermined accountability.
“Our prosecutors must be careful because the way they proceed can allow even guilty people to walk free.”
Bentil also questioned the Court of Appeal’s interpretation of Section 406 of the Courts Act, arguing that the provision places greater emphasis on the substance of a case than on technical defects.
He said he was not persuaded that the alleged defects in the charge sheet were so fundamental as to justify setting aside the entire prosecution.
According to him, dismissing all charges on procedural grounds risks undermining public confidence in the justice system.
“I was looking for where the defects went to the substance of the case, and I did not see it.”
Bentil further criticised the management of MASLOC over the years, arguing that successive governments have allowed the institution to become vulnerable to political interference.
He said concerns about the institution date back many years, with repeated allegations that loans are granted to politically connected individuals who fail to repay them.
According to him, the recurring controversies surrounding MASLOC demonstrate the need for broader institutional reforms.
By Christabel Success Treve
