An employee of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Mr. Uchenna Okagwu, on Friday told an Ikeja High Court how he paid 232,000 euros (about N99.76m) to alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, to secure the release of his boss.
Okagwu said that he paid the sum to the kidnapper to secure the release of Mr. Donatus Dunu, Managing Director of the company.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Evans is facing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba for this and other crimes.
Okagwu told the court that Evans and his gang threatened to kill him if he made any mistake while trying to deliver the ransom.
He said, “About two months after my boss was kidnapped, I got a call from his brother, Anselem, to deliver 232, 000 euros to the kidnappers.
“He gave me his phone that the abductors would use it to direct me to where I would deliver the ransom.
“Soon I started receiving calls with the phone from the kidnappers, who warned that I should make no mistakes that if I did, I would be shot.
“I was asked if I knew the way towards Mile 2 and I said yes. I went with the money inside the vehicle. From there, I was directed to FESTAC, and until I got to a place at Okota.
“I was told to get to a street immediately after the canal where commercial motorcyclists stay and drive down. I was asked to describe everything I saw and should tell them when I saw a blinking light on an electric pole.
“At a point, I was asked to park, get down from the vehicle with the ransom and walk back.
“As I walked to the back of my vehicle and I was three steps away, I was asked to drop the ransom; I did so and was told to move immediately after dropping the money.
“As I looked around, I only saw a vehicle parked at the beginning of the street with full lights on, the vehicle looked like an SUV.”
The case was adjourned to June 22 for continuation of trial.
Emeh Achanga,the CEO of the Miss Petite Nigeria Brand is a lawyer turned blogger. She is very passionate about writing, with several publications and awards to her credit .She is currently working on publishing a collection of short stories which are basically a memoir about her exciting true experiences.
