The spokesperson of The New Force movement spokesperson, Shalimar Abbiusi, has been released by National Security following the Kaneshie District Court granting her bail on Monday, December 11, 2023.

A video shared by GHOne TV showed Shalimar Abbiusi leaving the premises of the court with her relations and her lawyers including the Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu.

She could be seen being ushered into a vehicle her parents were supposedly sitting in.

“She can sit with her parents, it is fine but don’t move,” Lawyer Sosu can be heard saying.

The Madina legislator earlier accused the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) of refusing to release the spokesperson of The New Force, Shalimar Abbiusi, despite the court granting her bail.

Speaking to journalists after court proceedings on Monday, December 11, 2023, Sosu, the lawyer of Abbiusi, described the attempts to keep the spokesperson of The New Force in custody as an abuse of power.

He refuted the suggestion by the security officials that Abbiusi, a 30-year-old Belgian, must be kept in custody because of national security concerns.

“The court has taken note of the fact that immigration has already had her passport. So, she is not a flight risk. So, what would be the reasons why you would continue to want to detain the person?

“For me, that would be an abuse of power and it would undermine the respect for human rights. It would undermine the respect for the dignity of a person. And it would undermine the very constitution that we all subscribe to,” he said.

Sosu added, “Because when you arrest a person within 24 hours you should deal with the person. 48 hours is the maximum the person must be released. But you keep the person for seven days for a misdemeanour and the court admits the person to bill and you still want to keep the person”.

About the arrest

The Ghana Immigration Service apprehended a 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.

The court granted her bail on December 11, 2023, after she pleaded not to the charges against her – one count of obtaining a student permit by false declaration contrary to section 52 (1) (i) of the Immigration Act 2000 {Act 573).

Shalimar Abbiusi was granted bail to the tune of GH¢20,000.

She must report to the Ghana Immigration Service three times a week as part of her bail conditions.