Alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, said on Friday that he was innocent of the charges slammed against him before the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.
Evans, who is facing four counts of kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms, claimed that he was not a criminal but was into the legitimate business of haulage and had about 30 workers on his payroll.
He claimed that he was made to confess to the crime under duress.
Evans, who is being tried alongside an ex-soldier, Victor Aduba, stated this during the continuation of his trial on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Evans denied kidnapping a businessman, Sylvanus Ahamonu, and collecting $420,000 ransom from his family.
While being cross-examined by the state prosecutor, Mr Yusuf Sule, he vehemently denied knowing Ahamonu prior to seeing him after his arrest.
When Sule noted that Ahamonu had identified him when he testified virtually (via the Zoom app) in court, Evans said he was easily identifiable.
“Ahamonu and Idowu Haruna (the Investigating Police Officer) could have conspired with the police.
“My pictures are everywhere, all over the world. Before my picture was everywhere, people knew who I was.
“I had a haulage and logistics business with over 30 staff (members) and drivers in Amuwo-Odofin.”
The alleged kidnap kingpin said he had made no mention of his haulage and logistics business in his statement because it was written by the police.
Responding to questions, Evans said he also did not provide medical documents proving his alleged torture by the police to the court.
He, however, noted that while he was incarcerated, he had filed a fundamental human rights suit against the police at the Federal High Court, Lagos, over the alleged torture.
Explaining why he was seen in a jovial mood in the confessional video played in the court when prosecution presented its case, Evans said he was forced to act in that manner by the police.
