Accra, Ghana – Former MASLOC boss Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu has been arrested and is currently in custody in the United States, following the execution of an extradition request submitted by Ghanaian authorities.
According to a press release by Victor Emmanuel Smith, she is being held at the Nevada Southern Detention Centre in Pahrump, Nevada. Mrs. Tamakloe-Attionu was arrested by U.S. Marshals on January 6, 2026, in response to Ghana’s extradition request filed in July 2024. She remains in detention pending court proceedings, where the extradition process is expected to advance.
The confirmation of her detention marks a significant development in a case that has drawn public attention, particularly due to the involvement of international law enforcement cooperation between Ghana and the United States. No specific timeline for court proceedings or further details regarding charges were provided, but her detention indicates that the matter has formally entered the judicial phase.
Background
Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu was sentenced to 10 years in prison on April 16, 2024, for embezzling GH¢3.19 million during her tenure at MASLOC and causing a deliberate financial loss of GH¢90 million to the state.
Her former colleague, Daniel Axim, MASLOC’s former Chief Operating Officer, was sentenced to five years with hard labour. Both were found guilty on 78 counts, including causing financial loss to the state, theft, conspiracy to steal, money laundering, and contravening public procurement laws.
The trial, which began in 2019, involved six state witnesses. Tamakloe-Attionu was tried in absentia after absconding abroad under the pretext of a medical check-up, while Axim appeared in person but presented no witnesses.
The convictions stemmed from misappropriation of funds allocated for MASLOC activities between 2013 and 2016. Some notable instances include:
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Withdrawal of GH¢500,000 as a loan from Obaatampa Savings and Loans Company, demanding repayment at a 24% interest rate, which was not properly reflected in MASLOC accounts.
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Misappropriation of over GH¢1.7 million allocated for a sensitisation exercise, with only a fraction used for its intended purpose.
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Funds disbursed to victims of a fire incident at Kantamanso were not fully distributed, with a significant portion misappropriated.
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Overpriced procurement of vehicles and Samsung phones for MASLOC, purchased in bulk but above prevailing market rates.
Meanwhile, on January 14, 2026, the Supreme Court granted Daniel Axim bail of GH¢500,000 pending appeal. His appeal, filed over a year ago, had stalled, prompting his lawyers to request bail after he had already served nearly two years of his five-year sentence.
The arrest of Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu in the U.S. and her pending extradition underscore Ghana’s efforts to hold public officials accountable and demonstrate ongoing cooperation with international law enforcement authorities.
