The spokesperson for the New Force Movement, Shalimar Abbuissi, has been arrested again by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) shortly after state prosecutors dropped charges against her in court.

Shalimar Abbuissi, a Belgian national, was initially arrested by the GIS and brought to court on charges of forging her student permit documents.

She had been granted bail in the amount of GH¢20,000 with two sureties at the Kaneshie District Court.

During the court session on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, Shalimar Abbuissi was re-arrested by the immigration service following the decision of state prosecutors to withdraw the charges.

In a video shared by Accra-based JoyNews, Francis-Xavier Sosu, the legal representative of the New Force Movement, was seen attempting to prevent immigration officers from taking his client away.

Sosu voiced his concerns about the alleged mistreatment of Shalimar Abbuissi by the officers, expressing frustration at being denied the opportunity to communicate with her before she was placed in the vehicle.

He repeatedly questioned the officers, stating, "Is that how you do your work?"

Shalimar Abbuissi's mother was also present during the incident as GIS officials were taking her daughter into custody.

About the arrest

The Ghana Immigration Service arrested the 30-year-old Belgian woman, Shalimar Abbiusi, who gained attention through her involvement in a viral short video introducing a new political group known as "The New Force."

Abbiusi was taken into custody during an inquiry into her immigration status in the country.

The Immigration Service took notice of Abbiusi's activities on social media, particularly her role as the spokesperson for "The New Force."

The arrest occurred following an invitation by the Head of the National Enforcement Section at the Immigration Headquarters to address concerns related to her immigration status.

Investigations revealed that Abbiusi initially arrived in Ghana on September 4, 2017, through the Kotoka International Airport and had been a frequent visitor until 2018 when she claimed residency as a student at the Ghana Christian University College.

However, checks from the college exposed that Abbiusi had never been a student, and the documents purportedly issued by the institution to support her application for a residence permit were forged.

The accused now faces charges related to immigration offenses and has been arraigned before the court for remand into Immigration custody.