An appeals court has ordered the release of two persons accused of aiding and abetting Swedish fugitive Hans Jonny Uven in his escape, after deeming that the two are not a flight risk, it emerged on Monday.

The two defendants – who will face trial for helping Uven run away from a Larnaca medical facility – had appealed a lower court’s decision which found they were a flight risk and might influence witnesses if released from police custody.

In its ruling, the appeals court accepted the defence attorney’s argument that the lower court had not taken into sufficient account the two defendants’ personal circumstances and ties to the Republic of Cyprus.

The two defendants are a lawyer, and a police officer who had introduced the lawyer to Uven. They were arrested on December 31, and have since been charged with assisting the escape of a person under lawful detention, conspiracy to commit a felony, transactions that constitute corruption and abuse of power.

According to the appeals court, from the evidence presented before it, the two defendants are not a flight risk. It ordered their immediate release, on conditions – they must post bail of €15,000, hand over their travel documents, report to a police station three times a week, and they will be placed on the stop list.

Uven had first been arrested on December 6 at Larnaca airport on the strength of a European arrest warrant issued by Swedish authorities. He is wanted for involvement in financial fraud amounting to €90 million, allegedly committed in his country.

He managed to escape while under police guard on the afternoon of December 22 from the clinic where he had spent 15 days after being admitted for chest pains and gastroenteritis.

After Uven’s escape, police launched a manhunt and apprehended the fugitive on December 23.

The 49 year-old Swede has since agreed to his extradition to Sweden. Before that, he will stand trial – along with the other two defendants – for his escape from the Larnaca clinic.

Uven previously testified that the female lawyer proposed marriage to him “in order to gain links to the Republic”.

According to the police, during Uven’s hospitalisation the lawyer brought a priest to the clinic to marry them. Uven claims he had rejected the offer.

Investigators determined the claim to be true based on testimony secured, and evidence in the form of notes on how to perform a Catholic wedding, found at the lawyer’s home. Photos of the two bearing wedding rings had also surfaced.

As for the police officer, his involvement is thought to have begun with having made the acquaintance of Uven while the latter was being held at the Oroklini police station.

It was previously reported that the officer, said to be facing financial difficulty, had propositioned the Swede to buy his house, in exchange for finding him the lawyer.

Uven also alleged the police officer had purchased phone cards and shoes that were delivered to him by the lawyer at the clinic.