The Commercial Court 5 Division of the High Court in Accra has granted an application by Manhyia South MP, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, for the release of his passport.

The passport was seized as part of his bail conditions in an ongoing criminal trial in which he is facing charges of allegedly causing financial loss to the state and money laundering.

The case stems from legal representations he made on behalf of SIC Savings and Loans Limited in a loan recovery matter, which the state claims involved criminal acts.

At Thursday, November 12 hearing, counsel for the MP, Samuel Atta Akyea, argued that his client was not a flight risk, citing parliamentary safeguards that would ensure his return to the country.

He explained that under parliamentary rules, the MP risks forfeiting his seat if he fails to attend a specified number of parliamentary sittings.

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

Presiding judge, Her Ladyship Justice Charity Akosua Asem, subsequently granted the application and varied the bail condition requiring the MP’s passport to remain in the custody of the court registry.