Ex-soldier confessed to murder of bizman - Witness

A Police Inspector, Joseph Gambo, has testified to how a dismissed soldier, Bulus Monday, confessed to being contracted to murder a businessman in Abuja.

Monday, 27, is facing a two-count charge of allegedly committing culpable homicide before an FCT High Court in Gudu, an offence punishable with death.

The defendant was arraigned in court alongside his accomplice, Donatus Ejike, 34, while the third accomplice, Kevin Emmanuel, is still at large.

Gambo, the police officer who recorded the confessional statement in 2014, told the court during cross examination that the defendant was calm when he made his confession.

He said when the military handed over the defendant to the police, he confessed to the murder of Ozioko Onyebuchi in 2014. The witness said the defendant asked him to record his statement while he narrated it orally in an open office with other police officers present.

Gambo added that he read the statement over to the defendant who signed it, while he countersigned.

The prosecutor disclosed that Monday, in his confessional statement, said that he was approached and contracted by the first defendant, Ejike, to kill the victim.

He said Ejike had promised to pay Monday the sum of N1 million to kill the victim, according to his confessional statement. Monday said Ejike told him that he was a businessman and that Onyebuchi was blocking his chances with a white man, and wanted him to kill Onyebuchi.

Monday said he stabbed Onyebuchi in the stomach with a knife which led to his death.

He said the offence was punishable with death under Section 221 of the Penal Code.

Justice Abubakar Talba adjourned hearing until Nov.14