Alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans in a video played during his trial in an Ikeja High Court on Friday said from a short distance, he can estimate the financial value of his victims.
the video was played in the courtroom during the cross-examination of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) Insp. Idowu Haruna by Mr Emmanuel Ochai, the defence counsel to Victor Aduba, one of Evans’ co-defendants.
In the video, the alleged kidnap kingpin, was sitting on a sofa and confessing to Haruna about various kidnappings he masterminded.
He gave the details of his alleged victims who mostly paid ransoms in six-figure foreign currencies with the exception of two alleged victims who paid ransoms of $1 million and $2 to 3 million each.
In the video, Haruna who is also a member of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) asked Evans how he mapped out strategies to kidnap his alleged victims, Evans while smiling, replied simply “when you see someone that has money you will know”. Evans in the video told the IPO that he knew that the individuals he and his alleged gang members kidnapped will pay the ransoms even if it involving selling their property to raise the funds.
Evans explained that through a contact who was in prison, he was able to procure arms for his kidnap operations.
He said in the video that a pharmaceutical boss, Mr Donatius Dunu who had already paid a ransom of 223,000 Euros had not finished paying the ransom in full before escaping and alerting the police.
Evans said that Aduba who is a dismissed Army Officer, accompanies him during kidnap operations noting that Aduba was involved in the botched kidnap attempt of Chief Vincent Obianodo, the Chairman of The Young Shall Grow Motors.
He however admitted in the video that Aduba did not participate in the kidnap of Dunu.
After the video was played, Ochai told Haruna that Evans never identified Aduba (sixth defendant) as a participant in the kidnap of Dunu.
