MASLOC is father Christmas at the discretion of the political head – Ex-COO opens defence to charges

Interdicted Head of Operations at Microfinance and Medium Loan Center (MASLOC), Daniel Axim has said the institution appears to be “a father Christmas at the discretion of a political head.”

According to him, as an officer of MASLOC the Chief Executive Officer could just order him to grant loans without properly assessing the credit worthiness of a client within a day.

“It appears to me that MASLOC is father Christmas at the discretion of the political head.

“A minister of state can minute on a piece of a complimentary card to me through the CEO for loan and I must comply,” Daniel Axim made this known to the High Court in Accra as he opens his defence to respond to charges.

Daniel Axim, the former Operations Manager of MASLOC and “absconded” Mrs Attionu have been charged with 80 counts of Stealing, Causing Financial Loss to the State, Causing Loss to Public Property, Improper Payment of Public Funds, Unauthorised Commitment resulting in Financial Obligation for the Government, Money Laundering and Contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

They have pleaded not guilty and admitted to bail while the prosecution has closed its case after calling four witnesses.

Mrs Tamakloe Attionu, the 1st Accused has since last year been declared “absconded” by the Court after failing to appear in Court since August 2022.

On Monday, February 5, 2024, Daniel Axim opened his defence in an attempt to respond to charges leveled against him by the Prosecution.

In his Witness Statement read in open Court and same adopted by the Court as his Evidence-In-Chief, Daniel Axim, the 2nd Accused said, he did not conspire with the 1st Accused to cause financial loss to the state.

“My lord, I know PW1 (First Prosecution Witness) Dr Stephen Amoah wrote a letter to the Auditor General to stop the auditing its office had undertaken.

“At MASLOC a CEO can order me as head of operations to grant loans without assessing the credit worthiness of the client within a day.

“At the same time I do not have the power as head of operations to arrest a vehicle for nonpayment of a loan facility as the CEO will be instructed to ask me to release the vehicle with apology to the owner or risk dismissal,” he stated.

The 2nd Accused also told the Court that, “The Auditor General stopped their auditing into MASLOC activities because PWI (Dr Amoah) said he had gotten instruction from the chief of Staff to halt the process and based on that the Auditor General indeed stopped.


He said, “I was not surcharged for any wrongful act as mandated in the constitution.”

EIB Network Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah reports that, the case has been adjourned to Tuesday, February 6, 2024 for Prosecution to conclude their cross examination.