Honorable Justice Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Lagos today, the 9th of November 2021, resumed hearing on the case of the alleged Killers of popular Anambra billionaire and owner of Fireman Generator, Chief Ignatius Odunukwe.
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The three accused persons Daniel Ibeaji, Uzor Igwe Arinze, and Cletus Solomon were produced in Court, by the Nigerian Correctional Centre Ikoyi, Lagos.
TheNigerialawyer, recalls that emotion ran high at Ogombo forest, Ajah, Lagos, where the decomposing body of popular Abuja businessman, Chief Hyginus Odunukwe, was recovered, following a startling revelation by the prime suspect, Daniel Bob Ibeaji, on how the businessman was lured to his death.
When the matter was initially called, the State prosecutor, Mr. O. Shofolu informed the court that the Prosecution had two witnesses who were present in court. Although the lawyer to the 1st and 2nd Defendants informed the court that he had a pending bail application, he noted that we would move the application on a later date and agreed that he was ready to proceed with the trial.
The Prosecutor called its first witness, Mr. Afam Odunukwe, a relative of late Chief Ignatius Odunukwe who was sworn in as PW1. PW1 testified he is a lawyer and had previously drafted land sale documents for his late uncle, Chief Odunukwe (the deceased). He stated that in the events leading to his uncle’s demise, the deceased informed him that he had been approached by a person who wanted to purchase one of his properties in Abuja for N900 million. He, however, said the deceased explained that the buyer wanted the transaction to be confidential, hence, he never met the said buyer as a lawyer to the transaction.
PW1 further noted that he prepared the Deed of Assignment as instructed by the late uncle and met with his uncle at Ikoyi Club to hand over the prepared documents. PW1 said the next day he received information that his late uncle was missing. He further stated that he presented a formal petition at the Department of State Services (DSS) office in Ikoyi Lagos and the office of the Assistant-Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 command, Onikan. He noted that the Police tracked the car of the deceased which was found abandoned somewhere in Lekki, and also tracked the phone of the 1st Defendant, who was discovered to have been the last called contact of the deceased’s call log. After several attempts, the 1st Defendant was arrested in Abuja with the original title documents of properties belonging to the deceased.
PW1 further testified that the police later arrested the other two Defendants, Uzor Igwe Arinze and Cletus Solomon, who confessed to the crime and took the police to the scene in Ogombo area where they had deposited the decapitated body of his late uncle.
Under cross-examination, PW1 stated that he never saw the purchaser of the property from his uncle because his uncle informed him that the purchaser wanted confidentiality in the purchase. He also stated the Defendants led the police and members of the family to the place where the deceased’s body was found. PW1 also stated that although his deceased Uncle was dear to him, all he had stated in court were facts and not based on sentiments.
The Prosecutor then called his second witness, Mr. Eugene Odunukwe, brother to the deceased who testified as PW2. PW2 stated that on a faithful day in December 2019 he received a call from his elder brother informing him that their brother, the deceased, was missing. He said he initially thought it was a case of kidnapping, and the family instructed PW1 to raise a petition at the Police Command in Zone 2. He stated that the Police tracked the phone of the 1st Defendant and eventually arrested him in Abuja with the original title documents of the deceased in his possession. He also stated that when the police interrogated the 1st Defendant, he initially claimed that he bought the property from the deceased.
PW2 stated further that the 2nd and 3rd Defendants were later arrested by the Police and upon interrogation confessed to killing the deceased. He stated that the 2nd and 3rd Defendant in their confession to the police and the members of the deceased’s family stated that the 1st Defendant had promised them N2 million each for the execution of the job. He said the 1st Defendant had lured the deceased to a hotel in Ogombo area of Lagos State on the pretense that he wanted to buy the deceased’s property for N900million. He said the 2nd and 3rd Defendant confessed that they had waited in the hotel room and immediately his brother worked in, they used a strong iron to smash his head and he started bleeding to death.
PW2 further stated that the Defendants confessed that the deceased while being killed asked the 1st Defendant to take the property and his money to spare his life, but the 1st Defendant insisted on killing the deceased. He further added that the 1st Defendant, being a doctor, injected a huge dosage of a drug called “diazepam” into the body of the deceased to stop him from bleeding, then proceeded to dismember his body and put it in a “ghana-must-go bag”. He further stated that the Defendants confessed that the bag containing the body of his late brother was taken in a tricycle and dumped in a canal around Ogombo area. He stated further that after the confession the Defendants took the police, the family members and members of the press to the said location where the bag and the decomposing body were recovered and taken to the morgue.
Under cross-examination, PW2 stated that he was not there when the crime was committed nor was, he there when the Defendants were arrested.
The matter has been adjourned to 6th December, 23rd, 24th, and 18th February, 1st and 2nd of March for the continuation of hearing whilst the Defendants are to continue to be remanded in custody.
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