The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has defended the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, insisting that the verdict was firmly grounded in law and the evidence presented before the court.
Speaking during a panel discussion on the political talk show Yepe Ahunu with Citizen Kofi Owusu on Ahotor 92.3 FM, Mr. Koomson revealed that he spent the entire night reading the 94-page Court of Appeal judgment to fully understand the legal reasoning behind the ruling before expressing his views. He said his careful review of the judgment convinced him that the appellate court acted within the law and that there was nothing legally wrong with its decision to overturn the former MASLOC boss’s conviction.
According to Mr. Koomson, the judgment clearly established that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the trial court had improperly shifted the burden of proof onto the accused person. He stressed that under Ghana’s criminal justice system, every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and it is the responsibility of the prosecution—not the accused—to establish every element of the charges before the court.
He was quick to clarify that his defence of the Court of Appeal’s decision should not be interpreted as support for corruption. Mr. Koomson said he has consistently condemned corruption in public office but believes the fight against corruption must always be pursued within the framework of the law and due process. “I will never support corruption, but justice must never be sacrificed in the name of fighting corruption,” he stated.
The GFL Secretary-General maintained that the Attorney-General bears the constitutional responsibility of proving every criminal allegation beyond reasonable doubt, adding that where the prosecution fails to discharge that burden, the courts have no option but to acquit the accused. He stressed that judicial decisions should be based on evidence and legal principles rather than emotions, public pressure or political considerations.
Mr. Koomson also criticised what he described as the increasing politicisation of criminal prosecutions in Ghana. He cautioned politicians and members of the public against using partisan interests to influence judicial matters and accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of consistently politicising issues that should be left to the independent determination of the courts.
Touching on broader legal matters, he questioned interpretations of the law that produce impractical outcomes, particularly regarding citizenship and identity documentation. He also rejected suggestions that Ghana’s courts should rely on decisions from foreign jurisdictions, insisting that Ghana’s judiciary is independent and fully capable of interpreting and applying the country’s Constitution and laws.
Mr. Koomson concluded that the Court of Appeal’s decision in the Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu case reinforces the principle that justice must always be guided by fairness, due process and credible evidence rather than political pressure or public sentiment. He urged Ghanaians to respect the independence of the judiciary and allow the legal process to take its course, especially following the Attorney-General’s decision to appeal the ruling at the Supreme Court.
Story by Stephen Owusu Mintah
