Ogechi Uchechukwu, wife of an alleged kidnapper, Uche Amadi, Tuesday told a Lagos High Court, Ikeja that her husband lied about his involvement with the alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans.
Ogechi said that her husband had travelled from Port Harcourt to Lagos in 2016 after receiving a call from his friend Evans, who invited him to come for a job.
According to Ogechi, her husband lied in his evidence before the court that he only visited Lagos for the first time after he was arrested by the police on May 24, 2017.
Ogechi, her husband, Amadi, Evans, and three others: Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, and Victor Aduba are standing trial before the court for allegedly kidnapping the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Ltd, Mr Donatius Dunu.
The couple were particularly accused of providing a detention camp at 21 Prophet Ashaye Close, New Igando, Lagos for victims kidnapped by the alleged kingpin, Evans.
Uche Amadi was reportedly identified as the leader of Detention Gang, one of the two groups coordinated by Evans.
While giving evidence in court, Ogechi said, “I own a shop and sell provisions in Port Harcourt. I was in Port Harcourt when I was arrested by the police. But my Lord I visited Lagos, with my son, in August 2016 during the long (school) vacation.
“My husband invited me to Lagos in August and I spent two weeks there before I returned to Port Harcourt. It was on May 24, 2017 when a Hilux Van, filled with policemen, packed in front of my shop. The police officers marched into the shop, saw my husband and arrested him.
“So, if anyone comes to this court and says that Amadi has never been to Lagos except in 2017 when he was arrested, then that person must be lying.”
Ogechi came shortly after her husband, Amadi, had earlier testified that he had never visited Lagos prior to his arrest.
Amadi, in his defence, told the court that he was arrested alongside his wife in Port Harcourt and that he didn’t know or have any relationship with Evans.
Narrating how she was arrested, Ogechi said: “When the police officers arrested my husband, they also dragged me along when I tried to ask them what offence he committed.
“They took us to a police station in Port Harcourt and I spent three weeks there.
“They later transferred us to Lagos where I spent three months before we were charged to court.
“At the station in Port Harcourt, they asked me if I knew that my husband is a kidnapper and I said no. I told them that my husband is a taxi driver and when he is off from work, he helps me out in the shop.”
When asked when she got married to the 2nd defendant (Amadi), she said, “we got married in 2004 after my Diploma in Marketing at the University of Calabar. We have a son together.”
When asked if she lived with her husband and knew the kind of business he did while in Lagos, she said No.
During cross-examination by the state prosecution, Adebayo Haroun, the witness said that her husband was formerly doing a clothing business in 2004 at Aba, Ariaria International market before he got a contract job and they relocated to Port Harcourt.
She further said that they moved to Port Harcourt in 2013 when her son was 9-years old.
“My husband got a contract to drive a big truck that carries dirts (from dustbins) but he left Port Harcourt in 2016 to Lagos,” she confirmed.
When asked why her husband left Port Harcourt, she said, “my husband told me that his friend invited him to Lagos. He said his friend, Somtochuckwu and I believed him.”
Justice Hakeem Oshodi, thereafter, adjourned the matter till July 9, for the continuation of Defence.
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