A retired Superintendent of Police, Rene Arany, has told an FCT High Court in Gudu that the confessional statement made by a murder suspect, Bulus Monday was not under duress.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Barrister Taiwo Malik, in trial-within-trial, Arany said he was the one that endorsed the statement in 2014 after Monday had voluntarily made it.
Monday, 27, a dismissed military man was accused of killing one Ozioko Onyebuchi. He is facing trial alongside his alleged accomplice, Donatus Ejike, 34, who was said to have abetted the crime.
Arany, who headed the team that investigated and recorded Monday’s statement, told the court that the defendant was not coaxed into giving the statement.
The confessional statement revealed that Monday confessed that he was approached and contracted by the first defendant, Ejike to kill the victim.
Monday said Ejike had promised to pay him N1 million to kill the victim, adding that Ejike told him that he was a businessman and that Onyebuchi was blocking his chances with a White man, and as such wanted him dead.
Monday said he stabbed Onyebuchi in the stomach with a knife which led to his death.
