Court grants Manhyia South MP application for release of passport

The High Court in Accra has approved an application by Manhyia South MP, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, to have his passport released from the court registry while his criminal trial continues.

The passport was surrendered as part of his bail conditions in a case in which he is facing charges of allegedly causing financial loss to the state and money laundering.

The charges relate to legal services he provided to SIC Savings and Loans Limited in a loan recovery dispute, which the prosecution alleges involved criminal conduct.

At the hearing on Thursday, November 12, counsel for the MP, Samuel Atta Akyea, urged the court to grant the application, arguing that his client had no intention of absconding from the country.

He relied on parliamentary rules as an assurance that the MP would return to Ghana, explaining that failure to attend the required number of parliamentary sittings could result in the forfeiture of his seat.

Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai, who represented the state, did not oppose the request.

Presiding judge, Justice Charity Akosua Asem, subsequently granted the application and varied the bail condition that required the MP's passport to be kept in the custody of the court registry.