N50bn Police Fund Okiro forced me to pay N10m bribe - Kenny Martins

Soji-Eze Fagbemi and Clement Idoko, Abuja - 05.05.2008

NATIONAL Co-ordinator of Police Equipment Foundation, Chief Kenny Martins, has told the court that he was forced by the Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, to settle some people involved in the case going on before an Abuja magistrate’s court with N10 million and a jeep.

Besides, Chief Martins said Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, and his client, Chief Godson Ewulum, demanded for another N200 million, that his current travail and blackmail upon him by the duo was as a result of his refusal to settle them with the sum.

Martins told the court that he was sure that he was being blackmailed by Keyamo after he refused to pay the N200 million. “That according to the 3rd and 4th accused, having been forced to deliver to the purported client of the said Festus Keyamo, that is one Godson Ewulum, N10 million and one jeep by the said IGP upon the complaint of the duo of Keyamo and Godson Ewulum, they grew greedy, insisting on the huge ransom payment of additional N200 million which the 3rd and 4th accused rejected and continue to reject,” Chief Martins said in an affidavit deposed to on his behalf from the office of his counsel, Tunji Abayomi, by one Patrick Bisong.

It will be recalled that Chief Magistrate, Sunday Ochimana, last Wednesday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Martins and his assistant, Ibrahim Dumuje.

The police filed charges against Martins, Dumuje and two others, but Martins and Dumuje were absent in court.