Police Insp. Idowu Haruna has told an Igbosere High Court in Lagos that the suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, known as Evans, volunteered his statement to the police.
Haruna, a prosecution witness, said this while he was testifying before court on Wednesday.
The witness said that Evans gave his statement voluntarily and not under duress or torture by the police.
He said Evans’ statement which was obtained on June 26, 2017 at 2 p.m at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) office, Ikeja, was recorded in a conducive environment.
Haruna, who was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Dr Jide Martin, said Evans volunteered his statement which was recorded by Insp. Kingsley Harold.
The witness said: “I and the defendant have been close friends since his arrest and on the day he was arrested at his Magodo residence, he said ‘Oh God I never knew a day like this will come.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Evans is facing two separate charges bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder before Justice Adedayo Akintoye.
In the first charge, Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba and in the second charge, he is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.
He said he narrated how he and his accomplices kidnapped Godwin Okorafor.
He added that the suspected kidnap kingpin also gave statement on how ransom was demanded from the victim he kidnapped.
Haruna also stated that their superior officer, CSP Philips Benjamin, read the statement to Evans to ascertain that he gave the statement willingly without torture and was attested to by same officer.
The witness said an attestation form was signed by Benjamin and the defendant.
He also said an Investigative Police Officer, Adesuyi, made a video recording which he burnt into a disc and certified it.
Martins tendered all the documents before the court.
During cross-examination, all the defence counsel objected to the playing of the video recording, stating that no proper foundation had been made on the CD.
Evans’ counsel, Mr Chino Obiagwu (SAN), said the document sought to be tendered was produced on Nov.15, 2017 after proceedings on the case had commenced.
“This document was produced after the charges have been filed and the IPO, who recorded the video, is not in court to be cross examined on the said video”, he said.
Earlier a, medical doctor, Samuel Oyemakinde, a consultant radiologist from Paramount Life Care Diagnosis Centre had in the first charge tendered a medical report and an X-ray result, showing that James Uduji, sustained gunshot wound.
He said that Uduji who walked into the diagnosis centre in 2015, and met with the then medical director, Dr Uwoku, based on his history of gunshots and was told to do a chest x-ray.
Oyemakinde said there was “a linear foreign body lodged in the upper left lung zone which is assumed to be a metallic bullet sheet”.
NAN also reports that the witness was subpoenaed by the court on Sept. 25 to give evidence on the gunshot wound sustained by the victim.
Justice Akintoye adjourned until Nov. 2 for continuation of trial.
