The Appeals Court Judge who sentenced former MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe to 10 years in prison has appealed to educated thieves to spare Ghanaians. Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe said the fear of armed robbers is public but the havoc of white-collar thieves is more damaging.
Addressing the issue of white-collar crimes at the sentencing of Sedina Tamakoe, Justice Asare-Botwe said armed robbers do not cause that much havoc. She said while armed robbers may come with guns, they only claim what they see, a white-collar thief, however, takes even what is not available at present.
“People talk about violent crime and how wicked it is. But if an armed robber comes to your room, he will only take what is available,” she stated. Adding, “n all my years, I have never heard about an armed robber who entered someone’s premises and took one million or even GHS500,000.”
But an educated thief, Justice Asare-Botwe said causes more havoc and steals more than the one with the gun.
“When you have an educated thief, that thief is capable of causing far more havoc than someone with an AK47 is capable of doing,” she stated.
Touching on how public officials inflate prices to steal from the public, she said it is sad that people even triple prices to fleece the public. She pleaded with them to have mercy on Ghanaians and stick to what is right.
“When you have to buy something and you overprice it to the extent of doubling or tripling the price, those of you in power, please have mercy on us,” Justice Asare-Botwe pleaded.
Justice Asare-Botwe sentenced Sedina Tamakloe, the former CEO of MASLOC to 10 years in prison for various crimes. Madam Sedina Tamakloe was sentenced together with Daniel Axim, the former Director of Operations.
While Daniel Axim testified in person without calling witnesses, Sedina Tamakloe was tried in absentia. She took permission to travel for medical checkup and has not returned. But following the court’s decision, Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah said the state will expedite the processes to have Sedina Tamakloe extradited.
