Notorious Armed Robber Recaptured

The convicted armed robber, John Malm, (a.k.a Baby Nii) who escaped from jail on Monday, June 25, this year, has been captured in Lome, Togo. He was arrested in his hideout at 4 a.m. on Sunday. His capture followed excellent co-operation between the Ghana Police Service and its Togolese counterpart.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) and Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), David Asante-Apeatu, who confirmed Malm’s arrest in an interview with the ‘Graphic’ however, declined to give details of how the joint operation between the Ghanaian and Togolese security agencies was carried out to ensure Malm’s capture.

“It is too early to give the details of how the convicted robber was rearrested in Lome since our men are still there”, he stressed.

He, however, gave the assurance that details on the capture of Malm at his hideout in Lome will be made available as soon as the Ghanaian police team returns home.

The CID boss was, however, full of praise for the Togolese Police for their wonderful and collaboration which resulted in the capture of Malm.
According to Mr Asante Apeatu, the Togolese authorities also want to highlight the capture of Malm to send a signal to criminals in the sub region that the security agencies are ever prepared to pursue and arrest them.
He said the capture of Malm goes to reinforce the security protocol within the sub-region and “we are grateful to the Togolese Police for acting swiftly to arrest the escaped convict”.
He also thanked INTERPOL for the professional assistance it offered, which helped in the capture of Malm.
He said Malm will be brought down to Accra as soon as the necessary documents have been signed.
Malm’s escape from lawful custody in Nsawam, which was allegedly planned and masterminded by his mother, Sarah Malm, and four others, caused embarrassment and anxiety in security circles such that the government set up a committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister of the Interior, Mr Thomas Broni, to thoroughly investigate the matter.
The Minister of the Interior, Mr Hackman Owusu Agyemang, has indicated that any prison officer found to have been involved in Malm’s escape will face the full rigours of the law.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested the convict’s mother, Sarah Malm, Richard Kofi Taylor, Frank alias Finger Lee, Chicky and Issahaku Musah, a Mallam at Kasoa, for allegedly plotting Malm’s escape.
According to Chief Superintendent Bright Oduro, the Regional Crime Officer, investigations so far have revealed that Malm’s escape was allegedly facilitated with the active connivance of the five arrested persons.
He said Mallam Musah allegedly provided spiritual fortification to facilitate the escape.
Police investigations have revealed that the initial escape was to have come off on June 16.
However, when the escape team got to Nsawam, it realised that there was a big police presence in the area, as a result of a motor accident.
Taylor, who was aware that Malm was to be taken to the hospital on that fateful day, went with three others in a Peugeot car to wait at the hospital junction.
Malm, on seeing Taylor, feigned dizziness and hunger and when the prison officers were taking him to a nearby spot to buy him food, upon the advice of the medical assistant, Richard and his gang, who were monitoring the movement of Malm, drove to the spot.
They then flunged the back door of the car open, affording Malm the opportunity to jump into it and they drove away at a terrific speed.
The gang went to the house of Mallam Musah at Kasoa who performed the final rituals to facilitate an escape through Aflao.
In another development, the police have impounded the Peugeot car used by John Malm to escape from the Nsawam Medium Prison.
The car was traced to a fitting shop at Kasoa where it had been sent for welding and possible spraying.
According to the Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations at the Police Headquarters, Dr K. K. Marfo, the welder working on the car has been arrested while the vehicle has been towed to Accra.
The welding of the vehicle with a foreign number plate embossed on it had been completed by the time the police patrol team arrived to seize it.
The police have intensified their search for all those connected with the escape of Malm from lawful custody.
John Malm was on April 12, this year, convicted and sentenced to 15 years in hand labour by an Accra Regional Tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Adu 0, for breaking into a Ford car within the premises of the Vanguard Assurance Company and stealing ?25 million and other valuables being the property of the company.