By Christopher Orji and Chioma Igbokwe
One of the victims of billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudememe Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, and owner of Maydon Pharmaceutical Company, Ilupeju, Lagos, Chief Donatus Dunu, has said despite the gang leader’s arrest, the release of some of those accused of complicity in his criminal activities puts his life in danger.
Dunu escaped from Evans’ hostage camp at Igando, Lagos, before the police clampdown on the gang. He alleged that, while in captivity, he recognised the voice of one of his staff, who, however, was recently released by the police.
Reacting to the release of his staff and others earlier arrested by the police, Dunu said it was improper for either the police or court to grant bail to suspects involved in such a high-profile case, especially going by the startling revelations made by Evans.
Said he: “I have evidence of the active participation of my pharmacist in the deadly operation, and releasing him has worsened my plight as I and members of my family now live in perpetual fear for our lives.
“Why should the police release the chief accomplice in my kidnap? I not only heard his voice while in captivity, having been with him since 2003, but also saw him there a few days after the kidnap. He came asking them where I was kept. When they showed him, he opened the door where they kept me in chains and our eyes met. I was about eating when I heard his voice and I normally removed the blindfold. That was how I saw him and I had the greatest shock of my life.
“He was always there with my abductors. His voice was unmistakable to me, having stayed with him for many years. The man in charge of the den, Uche, whom he claims he does not know, speaks the same dialect with him. He was the person he met each time he visited. There was also another member of the gang who speaks Abakiliki dialect and I don’t know whether those in police net have confessed his whereabouts to the police.
“I have a strong feeling that the manager of the den, Uche, and him are from the same town because they speak the same dialect. Those guarding me were initially two, but when the Abakiliki man travelled on Easter Monday, they brought another person to replace him. That one was very sick because he was coughing constantly. I knew that the Abakiliki man travelled because I heard my staff discussing with Uche, asking whether he had travelled and Uche said yes.”
Recounting some of the discussions he overheard while in captivity, Dunu said it was on Easter Monday that he heard they were planning to kill him. He said: “That same Easter Monday, I overheard my staff and Uche saying, ‘We will kill him. We have no alternative until Chairman comes back.’ Two weeks after this, Chairman came back and I knew whenever he visited because they would shut all the doors and switch on the generator, perhaps, to stifle their discussions. His visit did not last for more than 10 minutes and that was the first and only time he came to the den while I was there. That same night, the Abakiliki man brought noodles for my dinner. He told me to eat so that I would have enough energy to face ‘us at the canal.’ They later told me that canal was where they used to ‘bathe’ their captives and I concluded that it meant where they killed their victims. They trumpeted this daily.
“I was made to understand that the Abakiliki man was the one that would kill me, if Chairman gave the order. That was when I realised that the killing they were discussing with my staff was about to take place. Earlier, I thought that the killing they were discussing was probably another person. But after this canal discussion, I knew I was their target. Their last discussion was on Wednesday before my escape on Friday. They said it was going to be Friday night. That was when I concluded that it was all over.”
Dunu said he had no personal issue with his staff, except that some of them were stealing goods from the warehouse.
“I made changes, which I suspect did not favour him. I strongly suspect that it was his motive for conniving with those kidnappers. In fact, before my abduction, we had a meeting with a foreign partner and I remember vividly that during one of my telephone conversations with their Chairman, whom I suspect was Evans, he asked me who the two ladies in my office were, the same day I was kidnapped. The staff I am accusing came to the office that same day and those ladies were with me. Why did the Chairman ask that question? Who told him that I was with two ladies in my office? These are the unanswered questions police should have asked.
“Secondly, my abductors told me that they had a group picture of my staff, which we took last January. We used to meet every January and all the sales representatives attended.
“I feel so bad that the police allowed the court to set him free, thereby endangering my life. I don’t think the police carried out a thorough investigation after the so-called identification parade, which was simply a charade. Even if the court had cause to grant him bail, the police know how to go about such cases by re-arresting him.”
until they carry out diligent investigation. I am, therefore, calling on police authorities to do the needful by re-arresting him and investigating him thoroughly.”