Court orders release of Manhyia South MP’s passport

The High Court in Accra has granted an application by the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, seeking the release of his passport, which had been held by the court as part of his bail conditions.

The Commercial Court 5 Division made the order on Thursday, November 12, 2026, in the MP’s ongoing criminal trial, in which he faces charges of allegedly causing financial loss to the state and money laundering.

The case relates to legal representations he reportedly made on behalf of SIC Savings and Loans Limited in a loan recovery dispute, which the state alleges involved criminal conduct.

During Thursday’s proceedings, counsel for the MP, Samuel Atta Akyea, urged the court to grant the application, arguing that his client had no intention of absconding.

He relied on parliamentary rules, explaining that the MP could lose his seat if he failed to attend the required number of parliamentary sittings.

According to counsel, the constitutional and parliamentary requirements would serve as sufficient assurance that his client would return to Ghana.

The state, represented by Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai, did not oppose the application.

Presiding judge, Justice Charity Akosua Asem, subsequently granted the request and varied the bail condition requiring the MP’s passport to be kept in the custody of the court registry.

The order allows Mr Awuah to retrieve his passport while the criminal proceedings continue.