A Department of State Services official, H.A Nwagwu, has testified in court that the use of tracking technology played a crucial role in the arrest of one of the suspects facing charges of alleged kidnapping of the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2021 Anambra State governorship election, Obiora Agbasimalo.
Nwagwu appeared before Justice C.N Mbonu-Nwenyi, at the Anambra State High Court sitting at Nnewi, serving as the seventh prosecution witness(PW7) at the resumed hearing of the case on Friday.
He told the court that the DSS intensified efforts after it was notified of the kidnap by interviewing the principal suspects and witnesses, including the wife of the victim, Eucharia Agbasimalo.
According to him, the efforts and interventions of the DSS helped to identify and track down key figures in the alleged kidnap, including the two suspects – Chukwudi Odimegwu – first defendant – and Maxwell Nwokolo, second defendant, who are currently standing trial before the Nnewi High Court 1.
While testifying before the court, Nwagwu, a Principal Security Intelligent Officer at the DSS, also revealed that investigations began in April 2022, and led to the arrest of Nwokolo somewhere around Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State, which in turn led to the capture of other suspect.
The LP candidate, Agbasimalo, was kidnapped on September 18, 2021, at Lilu community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, while going for a political function and his whereabouts has remained unknown till date.
In the Suit No.HIH/15C/22, the accused persons, Odimegwu and Nwokolo are standing trial for alleged conspiracy and kidnap of Agbasimalo on September 18, 2021 at Lilu in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The DSS was the first to arraign the accused persons before a Magistrate court sitting at Awka, the state capital in 2022, in Charge No. MAW/506/2022 on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.
The offences, the prosecution stated, were contrary to Sections 495 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 36, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Anambra state of Nigeria, 1991 and 315 (2) (a) (b) (c) of the Criminal Code (Amended) Law of Anambra state of Nigeria, 2009.
The magistrate court had while remanding them in the prison custody, also ordered the police to transfer the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, for legal advice.
On receiving the case file, the DPP, in turn, came up with the same two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.
In the charge prepared by N.J. Nwankwo the DPP alleged that while armed with guns and other weapons, the accused persons kidnapped Agbasimalo against his will and thereafter demanded for a ransom of N1 million, N5 million and another N1 million totaling N7 million from his family for his release and yet after receiving the ransom, failed to release him till date.
However, during his testimony before the judge, Nwagwu, said, “Around April 2022, there was a report of the kidnap of the LP governorship candidate at our office, who was allegedly kidnapped on September 18, 2021.
“So, we had to invite the wife of the victim, Eucharia Agbasimalo for an interview. One Godwin Agbasimalo also known as ‘Oga Ndi Oga’ and some other persons were invited. We also invited the running mate to the victim for questioning.
We interviewed Maxwell Nwokolo and he disclosed to us that he escaped from the camp where the LP candidate was being held. That it was Agbasimalo’s brother that paid for his transportation to Lagos and he got to Lagos and stayed at Amuwo Odofin.
“Although, before then, we had tracked him through technology device to somewhere in Amuwo Odofin in Lagos, where he was arrested and brought back to Anambra.
“What we did on our own part was that during our investigation, we discovered from the data record and analysis of the victim’s driver, Chukwudi Odimegwu’s mobile phone, it was observed that the incident took place between 2pm and 3pm that fateful day around Lilu in Ihiala LGA.
“We also noticed that Odimegwu was in the position of iPhone 8 as at the period of the incident and was receiving signals from Orlu axis of Imo State. We also noticed that he has been within that vicinity where that kidnap incident happened about seven times before the incident, which is an indication that he is not new to the place.
“Analysis of Obiora’s mobile phone as of then, also showed that he was also receiving signals from that same axis and that was where his phone terminated.”
The DSS officer who mounted the witness box at about 10:20am finished his testimony at about 1:48pm and was rigorously cross-examined by their legal counsels Francis Effiok and Ikenna Obidiegwu.
After the cross-examination, the trial judge adjourned the matter to February 21, 2025 for further hearing.
(PUNCH)