I was given N10,000 in prison to testify against someone, man tells court
One of the two accused persons in the case of Miss Victoria Mbachu in Nnobi, Idemili South local government area of Anambra State, Mr. Olufemi Salako, said on Friday, Chief Chijioke Okaa, who is a native doctor, gave him N10000 at the Correctional Center in Onitsha to testify in his favour at the court.
Speaking while standing in the dock at the Chief Magistrate Court, Nnobi when the matter came up, Salako also told the court that Okaa has been threatening him since July 16 when the matter last came up and he was remanded in prison custody.
“After the last sitting on July 16, I was granted bail by this court and as soon as the court rose, three persons including Okaa came to me that they were trying to perfect my bail condition.
“They said that I should handover my phone to them, but I refused. And as if that was not enough, Okaa started threatening me.
“Later, he visited me in the prison custody and gave me N10, 000, telling me to support him”, Salako said.
Earlier, the complainant, Mr. Bonaventure Ezekwenna told the court how the native doctor destroyed his N10 million property which he bought from Miss Mbachu.
Ezekwenna, who is based in New York City, USA, who opened his testimony in the criminal charge brought against Okaa and the Beninese bricklayer, Salako, at the Chief Magistrate Court presided by Kenneth Nwoye, narrated how he paid Mbachu N10 million for her property.
He said that after paying for the property, he deployed building materials including, iron rods, blocks and other materials for full construction after erecting the fence, adding that all the materials he assembled were either damaged or missing.
He said: “It was when work began at the site that Okaa emerged with others, demolished the fence and destroyed building materials I kept there and it was this situation that prompted me to report the matter to police.
“Regrettably, while policemen in Lagos were investigating the matter, a team of Police arrived from Force Headquarters, Abuja and arrested me on the allegation that Okaa had petitioned the Inspector General of Police”, he said.
Ezekwenna added that after investigation of Okaa’s petition, the police decided to charge him, (Okaa) for false information.
Ezekwenna, who tendered documents showing agreement with Mbachu and evidence of N10 million payment, regretted that Okaa refused all overtures made to him to settle the matter out of court.
The presiding Chief Magistrate, Kenneth Nwoye adjourned the matter to August 4 for continuation of hearing.
He also ordered that Salako should remain in prison custody until the matter was concluded.
Recall that the prosecutor had accused Okaa and Salako of sometime within the months of July 2020 and October, 2021 at Nnobi, did attempt to commit felony by inducing Miss Nzube Mbachu to change her property title document in favour of Okaa.
They were also accused of promising to build a house for Mbachu which they never did, prompting her to sell the property to Ezekwenna.
