The New Force Movement’s spokesperson has been granted bail in the amount of GH20,000 and is compelled to report to the police three times a week.
Ms. Shalimar Abbiusi, a Belgian national, was held by the National Investigation Bureau after being invited as part of the Bureau’s efforts to identify those responsible for the rise of the movement.
Ms Abbiusi was summoned for a talk on Monday, December 4, 2023, and has not been freed since, according to the movement.
Ms. Abbusi appeared in Kaneshie district court on Monday to face allegations of fraudulently acquiring a student visa in Ghana through false representations, and she was granted bail.
Dozens of movement followers gathered outside the Court to express their support for their spokesperson, Shalimar Abbusi.
Wearing the movement’s colors, supporters waved posters and sang slogans in favor of Ms Abbusi.
The same judge remanded her into legal custody on Friday, December 8. The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) was the first to charge her.
The court granted the prosecution a few days to complete its investigation and remanded the accused individual in legal custody to appear in court on Monday, December 11, 2023.
Mr Jamal Tonzua, who represented the accused, told the court that GIS just sought to violate his client’s rights and that under Ghana’s Constitution, she was entitled to a fair trial, and that GIS should have finished their investigation by now.
The defense attorney requested bail since his client was not a flight risk.
Counsel stated that the accused’s passport was with GIS and that the Service should be able to track her movements.
The attorney said that the defendants had persons of substance standing as sureties.
