Chief G.U.O Okeke Gets Order For Police To Display Weapons Of His Kidnappers In Court

        

The Chairman of GUO Motors Limited, Chief Godwin Okeke yesterday confirmed to newsmen at the High Court premises in Onitsha, Anambra State that he had requested the prosecution to apply to the court to order the police to bring to the court and display all the weapons used by his kidnappers during his abduction in Onitsha on Sunday, August 23, 2009 and which were later recovered by the police from a hideout.

Okeke who made this confirmation yesterday shortly after the court adjourned further hearing till today, March 25, in reaction to a statement made in court by the third Prosecution Witness, PW3, Victor Edet, one of the police officers who investigated the kidnap saga, said that as soon as the application is approved by the Presiding Judge, Justice Chudi Nwankwo, the weapons which are currently in police custody, would be brought to the court by the police and displayed as an exhibit.

Edet who said he served under the Anambra state police command between 2007 and 2011 and is currently serving under Kano state police command, commenced his testimony yesterday before the court at the resumed hearing of Okeke's kidnap preferred against Kelechi Okafor, Anthony Ifeanyi Okafor and Alexander Onyinanya, first, second and third defendants.

Testifying under cross-examination by the prosecution counsel, Chris Ajugwe on whether he knew all the defendants, Edet who maintained that he was one of the police team that investigated the matter, noted that he recognized the first and second defendants and then  heard of the third defendant.

Edet who mentioned some of the policemen that made up the investigating team then, including the then Officer-in-Charge, O/C Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS at Awkuzu, CSP Felix Kigigha, said the police team commenced investigation into the matter when the complainant, Okeke came and reported that gunmen with heavy weapons attacked and kidnapped him inside the premises of All Saints' Anglican Church Cathedral, Onitsha on August 23, 2009.

Earlier before Edet was invited to the witness box, the PW2. Inspector Johnson Owah who commenced his own evidence during the last adjourned date, concluded all his statements yesterday.

In a question put across to him by the third defence counsel, Okongwu on whether the only role he played during the investigation process was to write a police extract minute book, Owah answered in affirmative.

However, when in a re-examination, the prosecution counsel, Chris Ajugwe asked him to reconcile between all the statements he took from the complainant, the third defendant and one Chinenye Ihenko (a.k.a Okpompi), the leader of Anambra vigilant group who arrested the defendant and brought him to the police, and admitting that all he did was just to write the police extract and minute book, Okongwu raised an objection to Ajugwe's re-examination and the court stopped Ajugwe.

At this stage, Justice Nwankwo adjourned the matter till today, March, 25,  April 1, 3, 4 and 9, 2014  respectively, for further hearing...