Accra July 22, GNA - Many people thronged the Cocoa Affairs Courts in Accra when John Malm, a convicted prisoner and his accomplices made a second appearance before a Circuit Court on Tuesday. Malm alias Baby Nii, who is now serving a three-year jail term after pleading guilty to escaping from lawful custody appeared before the court on a conspiracy charged together with eight others.

At today's sitting, the court presided over Mr Willy Wise Kyeremeh admitted the other accused persons to 50 million cedis bail each with two sureties to reappear on August 8, for hearing to commence. They are Sarah Malm, Trader and the mother of Baby Nii; Mallam Musah Issaka, Spiritualist; Richard Kofi Taylor, Seaman; Frank Kwame Amoah, alias Fingerlee, Trader, Regina Asiwome, Hairdresser and the Girlfriend of Baby Nii. The rest were Frank Elorm Agordzo and David Marfo Boateng both Prison Officers. They have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and abetment of crime. Meanwhile three other accomplices, Emmanuel Malm, Chicky, a driver, and Charlotte Malm, wife of Baby Nii, are still on the run.

The court ordered the accused persons, except Baby Nii, to report to the Police every Monday at 0900 hours. It further ordered the Industrial Area Branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank to freeze Serah's account until it gave further directions. Granting them bail the judge stated that he was taking into consideration the fears of the Prosecution but was mindful to the fact that the accused person had been remanded for three weeks and thought that it would not be proper to keep them in prison until the final determination of the case.

Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent Police Elizabeth Alormatu said as a committee had been set up to investigate the matter the court should be cautious in granting bail to the accused persons. DSP Alormatu stated that, if they were granted bail, the accused persons must be made to report to the Police. Baby Nii on June 25 escaped from lawful custody at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons, where he was serving a 15-year jail term for unlawful entry and stealing.

The Prosecutor said a house belonging to Baby Nii had been sold and monies had been deposited into Serah's account. The evidence before the court was that Baby Nii had been implicated in other robbery cases currently under investigations while his accomplice played a major role in his escape after he had been imprisoned. DSP Alormartu said Sarah and Emmanuel Malm sold a house at Kwashieman belonging to Baby Nii at 200 million cedis to facilitate his escape. She said on one occasion, Agordzo telephoned Serah to send her son 100 dollars through Taylor and was received by Agordzo on behalf of the convict.

The Prosecutor said on the second occasion, another 100 dollars was sent through Taylor and Agordzo received it. The Prosecution said Serah then gave 30 million cedis to Emmanuel Malm, brother of Baby Nii, Charlotte Malm, now on the run to buy a Peugeot 405-saloon car, which was used in the escape. DSP Alormatu said Serah then sought spiritual protection from Mallam Issaka, who charged 10 million cedis.

The Prosecution said on June 16 when everything was set, Baby Nii reported sick at the Nsawam Government Hospital and this was communicated to Taylor, Amoah, Chicky, the driver and Emmanuel to bring the car to enable them to whisk him away. DSP Alormatu said their plan could not be executed as on that day, because there was a accident at Hospital that had attracted heavy Police presence. On June 25 at about 0900hours, Baby Nii feigned sickness and managed to escape.