Chidi Samuel|
Idowu Haruna, a police officer attached to the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, has told a Special Offences Court sitting in Lagos how the alleged billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans shot the Chairman of the Young Shall Grow motors, Obianuju Vincent, and killed two of his escorts in a failed attempt to kidnap the Anambra state businessman.
The notorious kidnapper is standing trial alongside his co-defendants, Chiemeka Arinze, 39, Udeme Frank Upong, 43 and Joseph Ikenna Emeka, 29, on seven counts of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to kidnap and selling of firearms.
Haruna led in evidence at the court on Wednesday by the state counsel, Adebayo Haroun, said the incident occurred on August 27, 2013, at Third Avenue, Festac Town.
Haruna said, “I recognise the defendants as those who attempted to kidnap the chairman of Young Shall Grow motors, Chief Obianuju Vincent, sometime in 2013.
“The YSG chairman was returning from a game house along Festac Town when his convoy was attacked by heavily armed men led by Evans.
“During the attack, the YSG chairman was shot in the right arm while his driver, one Mr. Peter Nweke, was shot dead. One of his escorts, Chijoke Ngozi (female), was also shot dead.
“During a gun duel between the chairman’s police escorts and the gang, three of the gang members were shot dead by Inspector Solomon Igwe, while the rest fled the scene.
“Two rifles belonging to the gang members were later recovered by the Festac Police Division, where the case was reported and the corpses were later removed by the police.
“Immediately the matter was assigned to my team, we arrested the 1st defendant (Evans), who narrated the entire operation to us. Evans told us that he was the leader and the one who led the gang to the operation. Evans mentioned the 3rd defendant (Arinze) as the informant of the operation.
“He told us that Arinze had monitored the movement of the YSG chairman for four days in order to give him detailed information about his routine.
“Evans also named the 2nd defendant (Emeka) as his syndicate in all criminal activities while the 4th defendant ( Upong) supplied him with the weapons and firearms.”
“When the victim came to the station, Evans knelt before him and apologized for killing his two escorts. He told him that he was sorry for their deaths and that it was a mistake.
“Evans told the victim that he had no intention of killing anyone during the operation but only wanted to kidnap him and later demand for ransom.
“Evans begged that he was misinformed about the victim’s police escorts who were also armed.”
The case was adjourned till the 6th of January, 2019.