Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has defended the government's decision to challenge the Court of Appeal's acquittal of former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, insisting the move is based on legal principles and the pursuit of accountability rather than personal or political considerations.

The Court of Appeal recently acquitted and discharged Ms Tamakloe-Attionu, overturning her conviction and 10-year prison sentence after ruling that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The unanimous decision by a three-member panel set aside the earlier judgment that had found her guilty of multiple offences.

Speaking on Thursday, July 30, after presenting the government's White Paper on the Constitutional Review Commission's recommendations, Dr Ayine said he would refrain from commenting on the substance of the Court of Appeal's decision until he had fully studied the judgment.

However, he maintained that the decision to oppose the appeal was professionally justified and consistent with the government's commitment to accountability.

"I took the professional decision and I stand by it in principle that the appeal should be opposed," he said.

Dr Ayine explained that although he inherited the case docket and extradition request, he had personally reviewed the documents and accepted responsibility for the government's legal position.

He rejected suggestions that the appeal was intended to shield President John Dramani Mahama from political embarrassment or was driven by personal motives, revealing that Ms Tamakloe-Attionu is a personal friend.

"It's not about individuals. If it were about individuals, let me tell you, Serena is my friend. She's my personal friend. It's not about personalities. It's about this country," he said.

He added that the decision was taken after consultations with legal officers at the Attorney-General's Department and was based entirely on professional advice.

The Attorney-General said the government will carefully review the Court of Appeal's judgment before filing its arguments at the Supreme Court.

"We'll review the judgment. You will see the grounds of appeal, and I'm sure now we can all have a discussion as to whether or not the appeal has any merit," he stated.