A heated exchange broke out between Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, and broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere during a live television discussion over the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu.

The disagreement occurred during a discussion on the Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu judgment on Channel One TV on Saturday, August 1, 2026, where the two debated whether the ruling should be examined from a legal perspective or through political interpretation.

The Court of Appeal overturned the High Court’s decision that sentenced Tamakloe-Attionu to 10 years in prison after she was found guilty of offences, including stealing and causing financial loss to the state during her tenure as MASLOC CEO.

During the discussion, Paul Adom-Otchere argued that reactions to the judgment had become divided along political lines, citing comments from members of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), including Attorney General Dominic Ayine.

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“All of you under Dominic Ayine are saying that the judgment is good. Dominic Ayine says the judgment is bad. So looking at you all, I am confused,” Adom-Otchere said.

In response, Bernard Bediako Baidoo questioned the broadcaster’s position and urged him to focus on the substance of the court decision rather than political commentary.

“You and your NPP, what is your position?” the MP asked.

Adom-Otchere replied that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had not officially issued a statement on the matter.

The MP then asked about the views of people who appear on his programme and share similar political views with him, but Adom-Otchere insisted that his guests discuss the judgment based on their own understanding.

The conversation became more intense when the Akwatia MP argued that the focus should remain on the legal issues surrounding the ruling.

“It’s important, talk about the judgment. You have a view of the judgment. It’s not philosophy. It’s not history. We are here now. We are discussing the judgment. Talk the judgment. You don’t talk philosophy or history,” he said.

Adom-Otchere responded that Attorney General Dominic Ayine’s disagreement with the judgment was part of the ongoing public discussion.

“The Attorney General, he is the leader of the Bar and he disagrees with the judgment,” he stated.

The MP then criticised the approach to Adom-Otchere’s Good Evening Ghana programme, arguing that legal experts should have been invited to examine the details of the judgment.

“I am saying that you should stop what you are doing. Because what we have is a judgment. The people you interviewed, I expected you to have them have a look at this,” he said.

That comment prompted a sarcastic response from Adom-Otchere, who asked whether the MP was attempting to take over the production of his programme.

“Why? You want to be my producer? Are you a producer of Good Evening Ghana?” he asked.

He added, “The people I interview, you are telling me to let them do this. Do you want to produce the programme? We like you, you are a very intelligent man. Come and produce the programme and tell us what questions to ask the guests.”

The MP responded that his concern was the need for a proper discussion of the law and the judgment itself.

“He said that we should leave the law. Can we build this nation without the law?” Bernard Bediako Baidoo said.

Following the exchange, host of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom-Otchere, said the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu risks deepening public perceptions of political interference in corruption-related cases.

“I think that’s a big part of the conversation — how much do we give this a political interpretation as opposed to a legal interpretation? And I’ve been looking at it, and it’s not that pleasant if you’re looking at it with those political spectacles,” he said.

However, the Akwatia MP defended the Court of Appeal’s decision, arguing that Tamakloe-Attionu was denied the opportunity to fully present her defence during the trial process.

“If you look at trial in absentia, you can equate it to the point where the prosecution will file a submission of no case because the court will have to determine whether there is a case to be answered. So, the trial ends at that point because the person will not be there to open his or her defence,” he explained.

He added that although her lawyers participated in the trial, they could not replace her role in presenting her defence.

“Let nobody deceive you that her lawyers were there. Her lawyers don’t state her case; they only cross-examine the state. But when it is time for her to open her defence, it is not the lawyers that do it. So, Sedina was never heard, and that is a fact,” he stated.

'Are you the producer of Good Evening Ghana?''

NDC MP for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, clashed with Paul Adom-Otchere during a heated discussion on the Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu judgment, insisting that the legal issues should be discussed on their merits.

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