HOW CLUB GIRL DELIVERED ME TO KIDNAPPERS –BUSINESSMAN

Justice Olabisi Akinlade of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja yesterday heard how  Esther Phillips, girlfriend  of a businessman, Ayodele Olaoye, conspired with others to kidnap him and collect N5 million ransom from his parents. 

Olaoye, 28, gave his evidence before the court while testifying at the commencement of the trial of seven suspected kidnappers charged to court by the Lagos State Government. 

Others charged with Phillips are Patricia Nna, Kingsley Okonwa, Osita Adigwe, Uzochukwu Ezioha, Jude Sunday and Michael Olarenwaju.

The seven defendants were arraigned on March 5 this year by the state's Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on a five-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping and neglect to prevent felony.

While being led in evidence by the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, Olaoye said he met Phillips in February 2012 at a club  in Opebi, Lagos.

According to the first prosecution witness, Phillips told him her name was Jane and that she was a student of the Lagos State University (LASU).

Olaoye also confessed that he had sex twice with her and they became friends afterwards.
He further testified that on April 22, 2012, she asked him to accompany her to her hostel in LASU and he agreed because he "trusted her".

He said he went to pick the accused in his Nissan Murano jeep at a bank in Opebi and they started driving towards LASU with Phillips giving the directions.

Olaoye said:"We later picked up Nna (second defendant) at Dopemu. She told me that the lady was her school mate.

"After driving for some time, they told me to stop at an isolated place because they were feeling pressed.

The witness said immediately he stopped the car, Okonwa, Adigwe and Ezioha entered the car through the back door.

Olaoye said they were armed with a battle axe and knives and dragged him to the back seat.

"They took my mobile phone, wrist watch and necklace.

"I  was tied up, blindfolded and taken to an unknown destination by the first to fifth accused persons.

"They told me to cooperate or they will kill me. Phillips specifically told me to try and convince my parents to pay the money or the guys will kill me," he said.

The witness said he was incarcerated for four days, adding that the accused persons called his parents demanding for 400,000 US dollars as ransom.

He further maintained that his father, Mr Segun Olaoye, later paid the sum of N5 million to them which they shared among themselves.

Olaoye also said it was while they were sharing the money that he was able to sneak outside the house where he was being held and escaped.

"I took a motorcycle and told him to go and drop me at my father's office at Gowon Estate in Iyana-Ipaja.

"After then, I wrote a statement to the Police but I can't remember the exact date or the particular police station," Olaoye said.

Justice Akinlade adjourned the matter till May 17 for continuation of trial.