By Ebere Suzy Okoye
An Anambra High Court, presided over by Justice Chudi Nwankwo has lauded a kidnap victim for appearing in court for over 10 times to testify on the ongoing case between the state and suspected kidnappers since 2009.
Justice Nwankwo said this at the end of re- examination of the kidnap victim, Sir Godwin Okeke by his persecuting Council Bar. Chris Ajugwe and said that with the victim several and uninterrupted appearances in court, he will ensure that justice is been done in the case.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Chris Ajugwe, asked the victim, Okeke to clarify some ambiguity made during his cross-examination which were ‘’doing your stir with the kidnappers, how many stab, matchet or dagger cuts did you get from your abductors’’, to clarified his statement that they gave me severe matchet cut and a human bite on my back but the one that gave me serious wound was the cut on his left hand.
And also on reason why he didn’t first mentioned the third defendant name, Alexander Onyineanya, who he identified as the mastermind who facilitates his kidnap to the police in his initial police statement.
On his respond, Okeke told the court that he received severe matchet slaps on his back with human bite at the place of his abduction at All Saints Cathedral Church, Onitsha on Sunday, August 23, 2009 while struggling with the kidnappers before been over powered by them and received only one matchet or dagger cut on his left hand which gave him a serious wound while negotiating with them over the amount of N30b.
He said that the reason why he delayed in including the name of the third accused kidnapper in his police report was, as of the time of his release that he was still suspecting the third accused and wanted to report him first to his Vigilante Boss by the name Okpompi as the boss was the one who handed him over to him for a vigilant work at his house, Adazi-Ani and also for the fact that he got an information that the suspect has his way of frying to south-Africa as he is been suspected to be harden criminal.
He added that when the third accused learnt that he’s been wanted by his boss, he went into hidden for over two years; before he was spotted somewhere close to Onitsha; and the police had to arrest him.
However, Justice Nwankwo later adjourned the case to March 25 for further hearing from witnesses on the matter.
Also on a separate interview with Sir GUO Okeke, showed his gratitude that it is only when the case got to Justice Chudi Nwankwo high court that the case is been giving an accelerated hearing and called on the state government to support people of his kind of mind in fighting the boys of end time.
