‘N15.1m ransom was paid to Lagos monarch’s kidnappers’

A Prosecuting witness in the ongoing trial of the kidnapping of the traditional ruler of Iba in Lagos State, Oba Goriola Oseni, yesterday told the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, that a ransom of N15.1 million was paid to the kidnappers.

Sgt. Dele-Ojo Oduayo, an Investigation Police Officer (IPO) attached to the Inspector-General of Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja, who was assigned to investigate the case, said this while testifying during yesterday’s proceedings.

The IPO said that the family members of the monarch had paid the ransom money to the kidnappers before he was moved to Lagos to investigate the case.

He also said that the monarch’s family members were about to pay another ransom before his team swung into action.At the resumed trial of the case yesterday, Mr. Jide Martins, an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, introduced Oduayo as the seventh prosecution witness.

The IPO, however, told the court that the statements of all the accused and the video recordings were taken during their interrogations.

After the testimony of the witness, the prosecutor tendered the statements of the accused, the video recordings, the photographs of the scene of crime and the N200,000 cash found with the first accused.

The accused counsel, Mr. S. W. Baidi, Anthony Onwueze, and G. O. Egwuaroje all objected to the admissibility of the documents.Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, however, admitted the other documents in evidence but said that the video recordings must be viewed in the open court to ascertain its contents before it would be admitted.She adjourned the case till March 3 for continuation of trial.