The Court of Appeal has adjourned indefinitely its ruling on the Attorney-General’s application for a stay of execution in the case involving convicted former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, pending an application to the Chief Justice for permission to sit during the legal vacation.
The decision followed proceedings on Friday, the final day of the 2025/2026 legal year before the commencement of the two-month legal vacation for the Superior Courts comprising the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
A three-member panel, chaired by Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, with Justices Dr Ernest Owusu-Dapaa and Aryittey Armah-Tetteh as members, announced after hearing submissions from both the prosecution and the defence that it had not concluded its deliberations.
The Court consequently adjourned the matter sine die to enable it to apply to the Chief Justice for a warrant to sit during the legal vacation and deliver its ruling.
It said a hearing notice would be served on the parties once a date is fixed, subject to the issuance of the warrant by the Chief Justice.
The Attorney-General’s application for stay of execution was argued by Ms Hilda Craig, Principal State Attorney, and opposed by Mr Enoch Deegbe, counsel for Ms Tamakloe Attionu.
In an affidavit supporting the motion, the Republic stated that it was dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal’s judgment delivered on July 30, 2026, and had filed a Notice of Appeal to the Supreme Court on the same date.
The Attorney-General argued that the appellate court’s decision occasioned a substantial miscarriage of justice due to, among other reasons, material errors of law and fact apparent on the face of the record.
According to the affidavit, the intended appeal raises substantial and arguable grounds of law with a real likelihood of success.
The Republic is therefore seeking an order staying the execution of the Court of Appeal’s judgment pending the determination of the appeal before the Supreme Court.
The affidavit further contended that if execution of the judgment is not stayed, there is a real likelihood that the respondent could leave the jurisdiction, thereby rendering the appeal nugatory.
It added that the circumstances constitute exceptional grounds warranting the grant of a stay of execution and that the Court has the inherent jurisdiction to grant such relief to prevent a substantial miscarriage of justice.
