The Founder of Oga-Ndi-Oga Foundation and Solidarity Movement, Chief Godwin Agbasimalo, has told an Ihiala High Court sitting at Nnewi in Anambra State, of the roles the two suspects—Chukwudi Odimegwu and Maxwell Nwokolo—played in the kidnapping of the Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election, Mr Obiora Agbasimalo.

The LP governorship candidate was abducted on September 18, 2021, at Azia in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state, while returning from a function, and his whereabouts are still unknown to date.

In Suit No.HIH/15C/22, two persons, Chukwudi Odimegwu and Maxwell Nwokolo (the first and second defendants), respectively, alongside others at large, are standing trial before the court for alleged conspiracy and kidnapping of Agbasimalo, as preferred in a charge by the Department of State Services at an Awka Magistrate Court in Charge No. MAW/506/2022, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

After their charge was read, the court consequently remanded them in prison custody without taking their plea.

The offences, the prosecution stated, were contrary to Sections 495 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991 and 315 (2) (a) (b) (c) of the Criminal Code (Amended) Law of Anambra State of Nigeria, 2009.

The Magistrate Court, while remanding them in prison custody, also ordered the police to transfer the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

On receiving the case file, the DPP, in turn, came up with the same two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

In the charge prepared by N.J. Nwankwo, Esq., the DPP alleged that while armed with guns and other offensive weapons, the accused persons kidnapped Agbasimalo against his will and thereafter demanded a ransom of N1 million, N5million and another N1 million, totalling N7 million, from his family for his release and yet, after receiving the ransom, failed to release him till date.

But testifying before Justice C.N. Mbonu-Nwenyi at the Nnewi High Court in a resumed hearing on Tuesday, the Seventh Prosecution Witness, Chief Godwin Agbasimalo, in his testimony, told the court that the second defendant, Maxwell Nwokolo, collected huge sums of money from him as ransome as a commitment to facilitate the release of the kidnapped LP candidate to him.

Agbasimalo, who is a cousin to the kidnapped victim, mounted the witness box, while testifying before the court, also recounted that the second defendant severally demanded and collected ransom monies from him, including a sum of N5 million that was paid in two instalments of N2.5 million each, for transfer to the abductors, in addition to four motorcycles, which would be used to enter the unmotorable bushy path leading to the kidnappers’ camp to bring the victim out.

He said, “The second defendant told us he had escaped from an unnamed camp where the kidnapped victim was held and that he came to my residence that fateful evening to confirm who was kidnapped between me and my cousin (Obiora).

“The second defendant severally demanded and collected ransom monies from me, including N5 million I handed over to him in two instalments of N2.5 million each. He told us he was in constant communication with the kidnappers and claimed that the money was meant to be transferred to the abductors.

“In addition to the money he collected, he requested four motorcycles, which would be used to enter the unmotorable bushy path leading to the forest where the abductors were holding my cousin, to bring him out.

“The second defendant, who doubles as the Coordinator of Oga Ndi Oga Solidarity Movement for Ekwusigo Local Government Area, had equally honoured a visit to the palace of his traditional ruler, alongside four other supposed members of the alleged kidnapping gang, led by one of its commanders known as ‘Black Stone,’ and repeated all the things he had told me.

“He assured us before the traditional ruler that the kidnapped victim, who is my cousin, would be released, once the money gets to the kidnappers. But to our surprise, after all the ransom payments, the second defendant failed to live up to expectations to use his promised close relationship with the alleged kidnappers to secure the release of my cousin and LP governorship candidate till date.”

He said after meeting the financial demands of the second defendant, who said he was in contact with the abductors, his cousin and the LP candidate have not been released till now.

Earlier, the witness had told the Presiding Judge that the First Defendant, Odimegwu, who worked as his assistant and driver, had acted suspiciously after he had collected the sum of N100,000 to fuel campaign buses meant for a journey by Oga Ndi Oga Solidarity Movement supporters and well-wishers, but switched off his telephone and lied to them that the journey had been cancelled.

He further disclosed that, after the attack and abduction of the victim, the First Defendant, who drove the kidnapped victim in the vehicle, did not reach him, but chose to break the news of the kidnapping to his girlfriend, one Kosisochukwu, who told others how the LP candidate was kidnapped by unknown gunmen after an attack on the convoy of the LP governorship candidate.

The testimony of the PW7 came on the heels of a threat by the presiding judge to withdraw from the matter if both parties to the suit made any perceived insinuation of a tendency towards a miscarriage of justice or tarnished her image.

After over two hours in the witness box, the prosecution witness was not cross-examined as the presiding judge, Justice Mbonu-Nwenyi, adjourned the matter till Friday, May 31, for further hearing.