The hearing of the case on the murder of the major distributor of FIRMAN Generator, Mr. Ignatius Odunukwe, continued on Monday at the High Court, Lagos State.
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One of the witnesses, an Abuja-based businessman, Ikechukwu Efulu, informed the court how one of the suspects Daniel Ibeachi, allegedly almost killed him while pretending to buy his property worth N150 million.
Ikechukwu who is the fourth witness from the prosecution told the court that an Estate Agent introduced Ibeji to him in 2016 as his client.
He said that they both agreed for 150 million for the sale of the property which he told him was situated in Abuja, FCT.
He also said that the defendant mounted pressure on him to accept payment in dollars but he refused and insisted on a bank-to-bank transaction.
He said that the defendant came up with some business ideas while they were discussing, and promised to introduce him to some businesses.
The witness added that the defendant told him that he would sell the dollars and make payment in his brother’s bank account.
He said that the day the defendant was to pay for the property, he defendant) asked him to come to his house so they would go to the bank.
The witness said he went to the defendant’s house and nearly lost his life.
He narrated how he was allegedly handcuffed and his legs chained by the defendant and two other men facing trial in another case in Abuja.
Ikechukwu further narrated how the defendant allegedly told him to bring N500 million before he would allow him to go.
The witness said that he was rescued by some automobile mechanics behind the defendant’s house, who called the police after he raised an alarm.
He also narrated how the key to the handcuff and leg chain, which the defendant allegedly used in locking him in his house, helped to resolve a murder case involving a politician said to be killed by the same defendant while pretending to buy a property from the politician.
Earlier, Mr Friday Clement, a security guard and a friend of the deceased, gave evidence as the third prosecution witness.
Clement told the court that he volunteered and accompanied the police to Abuja, where the third defendant (Solomon) was traced and arrested.
He said that Solomon was already in police detention at Area 10 for another alleged offence when he was arrested.
The witness said that immediately Solomon saw that the policemen who came for him where from Zone 2 Command, he started shouting: “I will confess, I will confess.”
According to Clement, arrangements were made and Solomon was flown to Lagos.
The witness said that while inside the plane, he asked Solomon if he would remember where they dumped Odunukwe’s body and Solomon said, “Yes.”
Clement said that when they landed in Lagos, the police took Solomon for further investigations.
The witness was cross-examined by the defendant’s counsel, Jiakponna, who asked him how long he had worked as a security guard.
Clement said he had worked for 20 years.
According to him, when he arrests a suspect, he hands the suspect over to the police.
He testified that he did not make any statement at a police station because he only represented the family of the deceased by accompanying the police to Abuja.
He also said that he didn’t know which of the defendants was arrested first.
The state accused the defendants of killing Odunukwe while pretending to buy a property from him.
TheNigerialawyer reports that the suspects Daniel Ibeaji, Uzor Arinze, and Cletus Solomon are standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, and murder of Ignatius Odunukwe, a Nigerian billionaire and major dealer on Firman generator.
The trial commenced on 9th November, at the Lagos Division of the Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square before Yetunde Adesanya.
The matter was adjourned until Feb. 23 for the continuation of the trial.
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