A Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, has expressed concerns about how educated elites have become more “harmful” than robbers with AK47 guns. According to her, throughout her years of practice, she has not heard of an armed robber who had broken into someone’s premises and stolen a million Cedis.
Justice Asare-Botwe expressed these concerns before handing down custodial sentences to former Chief Executive Officer of Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, and interdicted Head of Operations, Daniel Axim. Justice Asare-Botwe made a statement about violent crime, stating that although people talk about how wicked it is, an armed robber will only take what is available if they enter your room. She added that in all her years, she had never heard of an armed robber who entered someone’s premises and took one million or even GHc500,000.
“But, when you have an educated thief that thief is capable of causing far more havoc than someone with AK47 is capable of doing,” the Court of Appeal judge posited. The judge also expressed concerns about how public officers inflate the prices of items they procure for the state by short-changing the public purse.
“When you have to buy something and you overprice it to the extent of doubling or tripling the price. Those of you in power please have mercy on us,” she stated. Absconded former CEO of MASLOC, Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, and interdicted Head of Operations, Daniel Axim were convicted and sentenced to 10 and five years respectively. This was after the court found them guilty for among other things willfully causing financial loss to the Republic through their actions.
They were convicted on all 78 counts comprising conspiracy to Steal, stealing, causing financial loss to the State, causing loss to public property, Improper Payment of Public Funds, Unauthorized Commitment resulting in Financial Obligation for the Government, Money Laundering, and Contravention of the Public Procurement Act.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Murtala Inusah
