The FCT police command has arrested Azubuike Osakwe, a carpenter who once worked with a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode.
Osakwe, it was learnt, was arrested on Sunday shortly after returning from church. He had in February accused Fani-Kayode of arresting him at different times in 2019 and refusing to pay for his labour.
It was learnt that he was whisked away by policemen and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department and forced to make statements before being given a stringent bail condition.
The carpenter had, along with seven others, visited The PUNCH office in Abuja last month where they accused the former minister of assault, arbitrary arrest and sexual harassment. The former domestic servants had also accused the police of detaining them at different times at the instance of Fani-Kayode.
They had also deposed to affidavits and made copies available to The PUNCH. However, rather than respond to the allegations when contacted by Punch Newspaper, Fani-Kayode quickly wrote a petition to the Commissioner of Police in Abuja, Bala Ciroma, accusing them of criminal defamation.
Osakwe had said, “Chief Fani-Kayode asked me to come to make repairs sometimes in 2019 at his house. I spent N15,000 to repair the expeller. I also spent N42,000 to repair a toilet seat. I was not given the money in return neither was my labour paid for.
“Anytime I ask Chief Fani-Kayode for my money, he threatens me. I endured all these because his wife, Precious, was the one who brought me. Chief Fani-Kayode locked up an apprentice who had come to fix tinted glass at the balcony of his house.
“I was locked up for four days due to a misunderstanding over that glass. I spent N75,000 in addition to my labour of N60,000 which has not been given to me. About N250, 000 is what he owes me.”
The officer in charge of the case, CSP James Idachaba, who is also Head of the legal department, had told The PUNCH that the investigation of Fani-Kayode’s ex-workers was sequel to an order by the CP.
Idachaba had said the staff were not being compelled to change their statements but were only being investigated for criminal defamation.
The Spokesperson for the FCT command, Mariam Yusuf, when contacted on Tuesday, said she had no comment on the matter since Idachaba had already confirmed to The PUNCH that the domestic staff were being investigated. “I have no comment if CSP Idachaba has already spoken on the matter,” she said
The police, it was learnt, had interrogated court officials who assisted the staff in deposing the affidavits. PUNCH reporter, Eniola Akinkuotu, who interviewed the staff had also been invited by the police.
Punch