Former Police Chief Ensa Badjie was yesterday cross-examined in the voire dire trial before Justice Amadi at the high court in
Badjie had claimed that he was seriously tortured in obtaining his cautionary statements at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), which prompted the court to order a voire dire to ascertain the allegations.
Testify under cross-examination, Ensa Badjie told the court that on 7th April 2010 he was brought from prison by the NIA officers to the NIA headquarters and was handcuffed.
When asked by the state prosecutor whether the signature on the statement was his, Badjie told the court that it was his signature, which he was compelled to sign on 19th March 2010 when he was beaten at from around midnight until the early hours of the morning.
He added he had witnesses to prove the beating, because the vehicle that brought that person to the NIA was the same vehicle that took him (Badjie) back to Mile 2 prison, and he saw him at the NIA.
When asked how many times he was taken before the panel, Ensa Badjie further told the court that he was taken to the panel several times.
He said that all other statements were made by him voluntarily, except this particular statement, which he said contained words which were not made by him. “This was why I refused to sign it,” he added.
The case was at that juncture adjourned till 5th May 2011 for continuation.
It would be recalled that ex-IGP and the two senior military officers were indicted and arraigned at the high court under a 51-count charge including conspiracy to commit felony, obtaining money by false pretence, obtaining goods by false pretence, official corruption, sedition, abuse of office, among others.
