Lawyer Gary Nimako Slams Court of Appeal over Sedina Tamakloe Acquittal
The Court of Appeal's decision to acquit and discharge former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu has drawn criticism from an unexpected quarter. Gary Nimako Marfo, the Director of Legal Affairs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed his disagreement with the ruling, saying he believes the court imposed an excessively high burden of proof on the prosecution.
Mixed Reactions to Court of Appeal's Decision
Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile programme on Saturday, August 1, Mr. Nimako Marfo said he had read the judgment in its entirety and concluded that while parts of the court's reasoning were sound, other aspects overstretched the legal threshold required of prosecutors in criminal cases.
Overburdened Prosecutors
He argued that the decision effectively required the prosecution to prove its case "without a shadow of doubt," a standard he believes goes beyond what the law requires. Mr. Nimako Marfo believes this standard is unrealistic and would make it difficult for prosecutors to secure convictions.
A Problem with the Judgment
"I have a problem with the judgment because it tends to place a very high burden on prosecutors to prove an accused person's guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt," he said. This criticism comes after the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's conviction and 10-year prison sentence imposed on Madam Tamakloe-Attionu over offences relating to the management of MASLOC funds.
The State's Next Move
Following the judgment, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, announced that the state would appeal the decision at the Supreme Court. This move suggests that the government is not satisfied with the Court of Appeal's ruling and believes that the decision was flawed.
A Wait for the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court will now have the final say on the matter, and it remains to be seen whether they will uphold the Court of Appeal's decision or send the case back to the High Court for retrial. One thing is certain, however – the controversy surrounding Madam Tamakloe-Attionu's case is far from over.
Source: Joy Online
