Source: Africa Publicity
The United States has extradited former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, to Ghana following her conviction on multiple corruption-related offences involving the misappropriation of millions of Ghana cedis in state funds.
The announcement was made by the US Embassy in Ghana on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, describing the extradition as a demonstration of the strong law enforcement partnership between Ghana and the United States.
“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 $6 million equivalent in Ghanaian taxpayer funds,” the Embassy stated in a social media post.
The Embassy added that the extradition underscored the shared commitment of both countries to accountability and the rule of law. It is also the first extradition from the United States to Ghana since 2009, ending a 16-year gap in such transfers between the two countries.
Ms Tamakloe Attionu served as Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC between 2013 and 2016. She left Ghana in 2019 after securing permission from the court to travel abroad for a medical check-up but failed to return to continue standing trial.
In April 2024, an Accra High Court convicted her on 72 counts and sentenced her to 10 years’ imprisonment with hard labour. The charges included causing financial loss to the state, stealing, conspiracy, procurement breaches and money laundering.
The conviction covered 25 counts of stealing, nine counts of conspiracy to steal, 20 counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state, 11 counts of conspiracy to cause financial loss to the state, three counts of causing loss to public property and four counts of money laundering. Prosecutors said the offences were committed between 2013 and 2016 during her tenure at MASLOC.
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Mr Victor Smith, confirmed on January 15, 2026, that Ms Tamakloe Attionu had been arrested by US Marshals on January 6, 2026. He disclosed that she was being held at the Nevada Southern Detention Centre in Pahrump, Nevada.
Subsequently, a United States District Court in Nevada certified her extradition to Ghana. The court ruled that the extradition treaty between Ghana and the United States remained valid and enforceable and found probable cause to believe she had committed the offences for which Ghana sought her return.
The extradition is expected to reinforce cooperation between Ghanaian and American authorities in combating corruption and ensuring accountability for financial crimes involving public funds.
