In the ongoing kidnap case, Abdoullahi Wadani on Monday in his evidence in chief before the Honourable Master of the High Court Aminata Saho-Ceesay at he Bundung Magistrates Court, said that the accused persons demanded for the sum of D300,000 from him.

Abdoullahi Wadani during his testimony said that on 2 November 2008, he met the accused persons at Brufut Round about (Turn table) when he alighted from a vehicle and was about to join another vehicle to his office. He said that the accused persons told him that they wanted to build a mosque in Brusubi. According to him he went with them to see the place.

Meanwhile, Wadani said he told the accused to write an application and bring it to his office in Brufut. Coincidentally, on the 6 November 2008 around 11.00 am Abdoullahi Wadani said he met the accused persons Okenuwa Ikechukwu Prince and Benjamin George at the same place again.

He said they told him to assist them to write the application. And he went with them to their place where they first took him during their first meeting. At their place, he went on to say:“they took me to a small room and locked the door. They told me that they are not interested in building a mosque but interested in money.”

Abdoullahi Wazani continued that, Okechukwu and George ordered him to take off his clothes. He said he was naked while there was an almost nude lady (third accused, Fatou Sarr) who wore only a very short pant among them. On instruction, the plaintiff said he was on the bed while the third accused lay on top of him.

He said at that moment the second accused, Benjamin George, started to take his photos. After taken the pictures, according to Wazani “they told me that they had had evidence against me that they have found me having sexual intercourse with their lady.” He added that the accused persons said that they were “going to take the photos to television, radio and police.”

In his evidence in chief Wadani said the accused persons demanded for D300,000 without this they will circulate his pictures as earlier mentioned. The plaintiff said he was able to negotiate the amount with them to D100,000.

When Inspector Jahateh asked him the reason for his negotiation, he said he agreed to the negotiation because they said he would not leave the place unless he pays. At the same time he was under threat.

Wadani who was denied to go to his house or office when he told them that he does not have the money with him was made to call his family in Morocco to send him money in order to buy his freedom. The plaintiff did not succeed in getting money from his family due to a holiday in Morocco on the said day.

When they knew that Abdoullahi Wadani could not get money from his family back from Morocco, they requested for his bank account in which he told them that he does not have a personal account but only office account.

The accused went further to request for the account chequebook that the plaintiff told them was at home. According to Wadani the accused demanded for his house keys and asked him to give instructions to the security to open his house to allow the first accused, Okenuwa Okechukwu Prince to enter so that he can get into the house and take the chequebook. He said when Okechukwu brought the chequebook (Arab Gambia Islamic Bank Chequebook) he (Wadani) wrote the sum of D100,000 and signed it with a note attached to it instructing the bank to pay them.  

They could not take the cheque to the bank to receive the money because it was late. He said that he therefore spend the night in the small room where he was guarded  till daybreak by the three accused.

The plaintiff said he was able to board a vehicle when Bojang caught up with them and he took an excuse to talk to them. By that time they were able to keep distant of about 10 to 15 meters apart. Abdoullahi said from there he saw a car coming from Sukuta without wasting time, he boarded the car which took him to his office. However, the accused in the morning introduced Abdoullahi Wadani to Bojang as their friend who came to visit them.

The case was later adjourned to 29 December 2008 for prosecution to bring the other witnesses.