Man ‘kidnapped and tortured at gunpoint’ denies falling out with accused over drugs, court hears
Ipswich Crown Court. Picture: GREGG BROWN - Credit: Gregg Brown
An Ipswich man who was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint and tortured by a group of men has denied falling out with one of the men about drugs.
Giving evidence to a jury at Ipswich Crown Court via a video link on Friday, Aram Mohammidi denied he had been given cocaine and cannabis by the man accused of holding a gun at his side during the alleged kidnap – and had told him it had been stolen.
Cross-examined by John Kearney, representing Abubakar Sheikh who has denied conspiring to kidnap him, Mr Mohammidi denied the man with the gun told him he would have to pay him back for drugs he claimed had been stolen.
The court heard the man who Mr Mohammidi claims held the gun at his side during the alleged kidnap has not been apprehended by police.
It has been alleged that Mr Mohammidi was kidnapped at gunpoint after getting into a car containing three men near Christchurch Park on June 23 last year, and taken to a flat in Walthamstow.
Mr Mohammidi was allegedly kicked in the head and ribs and had a glove put in his mouth.
He was also allegedly blindfolded with a T-shirt, had his arms and legs tied up, and had acid poured in his eyes.
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Mr Mohammidi also heard someone ask for a hammer before feeling blows to his fingers, the court was told.
He was eventually put into a black bag before allegedly being taken in a van to Harlow where he was found shirtless and dazed in a car park, it has been alleged.
He had two black eyes, bruising all over his body, burn marks on his legs and arms, the fingers on one hand were deformed as if they had been broken or crushed and his wrists had red marks as if he had been tied up.
Before the court are Joao Bernardo, 28, of Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, Joao Rito, 23, of Windsor Road, Ipswich, Abubakar Sheikh, 32, of Buttsbury Road, Ilford and Samuel Nunes-Mercachita, 34, of Canvey Island.
Nunes-Mercachita, Rito and Bernardo have denied kidnap.
Sheikh has denied conspiring to kidnap, false imprisonment and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The trial continues.
