A prosecution witness at the trial of suspected kidnapper John Ewa aka John Lyon on Monday broke down in tears before a High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital while narrating how her husband, a bank manager, was kidnapped in their residence in Yenagoa on June 30, 2022.
John Lyon and the alleged gang leader Emmanuel Angase are being tried on 14 counts bordering on kidnapping, conspiracy to commit a felony and armed robbery.
The witness Faith Omeje, a lecturer at the Federal University Otuoke, struggled to hold back tears as she recounted how her husband was kidnapped, prompting Justice Ineikade Eradiri to call for a break which lasted about eight minutes.
According to her, on June 30, four armed and hooded men waylaid her husband at the family residence in Yenagoa when he was returning from work, and after shooting, whisked him away in a Blue Toyota Corolla car with number plate, KJA 225 AY.
Another witness, Timipa Werikumo, who facilitated the lease of the Toyota Corolla car used in the kidnap operation, in his testimony, said Emmanuel told him to arrange a car to take his father for medical treatment in Calabar for one week for N100,000, adding that he never knew that the car was used for kidnapping.
He said since his car was faulty, he contacted his friend, who owns a blue Toyota Corolla car.
Counsels to the defendants, Francis Gbaionna and Henry Otobo, urged the court to adjourn to enable them study the police statements of the prosecution witnesses for their cross-examination, adding that they were not ready to cross-examine the witnesses.
Prior to that, the prosecution team led by the state director of public prosecutions Apulu Iyabosa said she has four witnesses to testify in the matter.
Justice Eradiri adjourned the matter to December 21 for cross-examination of the prosecution witnesses.
