Posted by By LAMBERT TYEM, Abuja on
Six of the suspects arrested over the recent kidnap of 76-year-old Chief Arthur Okowa, father of the Secretary to Delta State Government, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, have disclosed their different roles in the incident.
Six of the suspects arrested over the recent kidnap of 76-year-old Chief Arthur Okowa, father of the Secretary to Delta State Government, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, have disclosed their different roles in the incident.
Speaking when they were paraded by the police authorities in Abuja, the suspects, who claimed they were innocent, however, appealed with the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro, to forgive them.
They said they were not directly involved in the abduction of the septuagenarian and that they were roped into the crime ignorantly.
According to 27-year-old Fresher Aiworo from Owa in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State, a secondary school drop-out and carpenter, 'I was in my house one evening about 8.00pm when my friend, Chiky Boy, and two others brought an old man called Papa and offered me N200, 000 to keep him in my house. I didn't know he was kidnapped until I was arrested by the police.'
Another suspect, Ferdinand Ewerebor, aged 20, also a secondary school drop-out said: 'It was after Chiky Boy took Papa to Fresher's house that they called me to know whether I have a conducive place to keep Papa, but I said no. They begged and promised to give me N.5 million if I agree but when I saw the gravity of the matter, I refused. That was my own level of involvement.'
Co-accused Victor Ajulor, a 23-year-old barber, also denied involvement in the crime and narrated his role. 'I was in my house one morning and Ferdinand came to see me. We were at the back yard when they came to call us that somebody was looking for Ferdinand and we went out to see the person, we didn't know it was police CID. That was how I got involved.'
Like the others, 23-year-old Bright Onyemere, a photographer, claimed innocence, wondering why he was arrested and being linked with such a grievous crime as kidnapping. 'I was in my back yard one morning and I was called that somebody was looking for me. When I saw the person, I didn't know he was a police officer and he arrested me. I don't know any thing about kidnapping,' Onyemere claimed.
Confessing further, Nathaniel Omoretiomwan, aged 27 years and a staff of Seven-Up Bottling Company in Delta State, insisted that he did not know any of the other suspects and did not have contact with any of the co-accused. He denied knowledge of the crime.
'On July 24, 2008, I was at my working place when I was told that somebody was looking for me. When I went out to see the person, he introduced himself as a police officer and that I was needed at the station. When we got to the station, they asked whether I knew any of these people here and I said no, and sincerely speaking I don't know any of them including the Papa,' Nathaniel narrated.
In his own confession, 25-year-old George Ogala, a farmer, said: 'On July 25, 2008, my friend, Bright, came to my house in the evening and told me that he wanted to sleep at my place. I went out and came back in the evening the following day and saw an old man called Papa. I asked who he was and Bright said he is the Delta SSG father. I shouted and ran to call the police. That is how I'm involved.'