
Audio By Carbonatix
The brothers who claimed they were paid to stage an attack against Jussie Smollett are now reportedly unwilling to testify against the actor.
Chicago Police allege Abel Osundario and his brother, Ola, were paid $3,500 to jump Smollett in what the actor feigned was a racist and homophobic attack against him back in January 2019.
The pair had originally expressed intent to fully cooperate and testify against the “Empire” star — until their lawyer told Chicago’s CBS affiliate Wednesday that they’ve had a change of heart.
Attorney Gloria Schmidt Rodriguez said the two have flipped because they feel as if police are still treating them as suspects and are withholding possessions they had taken from them during a February 2019 raid of their home.
“It’s been over a year and they need to give us our stuff back,” said Abel Osundairo told the station.
“I would understand if we were defendants in the case, which we are not,” he added.
During the Valentine’s Day sweep, cops swiped among other possessions a safe containing a 9mm gun and ammunition that belongs to Abel, a legal gun owner, the station reported.
An administrative battle over the possessions has ensued, with Schmidt Rodriguez filing a court motion for the return of their belongings.
Chicago Police told the outlet the handgun is being preserved as evidence in an evidence locker and that the department would cooperate with any court order should the judge rule to have the items returned.

Smollet, meanwhile, has been rung through ups and downs in the legal system. In March 2019 he was slapped with a 16-count felony indictment for filing a false police report — only for Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to suddenly drop all charges later that month.
But he was indicted once again for allegedly staging a hate-crime attack against himself this February. Smollett has pleaded not guilty to six new counts of disorderly conduct, accusing Smollett of lying to the Chicago Police Department about the incident.
Latest Stories
-
From London to Accra: The UK-Ghana growth partnership in action
17 minutes -
Six dead, 34 rescued in multiple road crashes across Volta Region on Sunday
18 minutes -
NCPTA’s Deafening Silence: How parental failure, moral decay and social media excesses are turning Ghana’s schools into theatres of indiscipline
33 minutes -
Plastic pollution begins at design stage not gutters expert calls for producer responsibility
34 minutes -
Weak systems continue to hold back investment in Ghana’s plastic economy says CircularTech founder
39 minutes -
Wa East MP supports nurses, teachers with eye screening and glasses
43 minutes -
Keir Starmer says he’ll resign as Prime Minister, leader of Labour Party
43 minutes -
Child Rights International calls for ban on social media access for children under 17
43 minutes -
Kasapreko, Indigo Homes among early participants for Litina’s Made-in-Ghana World Cup Expo today
51 minutes -
McDan’s compassion fuels a new generation of entrepreneurs for Ghana and Africa
51 minutes -
Plastic pollution has spread throughout Odaw River, University of Ghana scientist warns
58 minutes -
CSOs tour reveals investing in Electrochem is an opportunity, not a risk
1 hour -
EPA denies dismissing relatives of late Murtala Mohammed
1 hour -
AngloGold Ashanti commissions GH¢2.8 million piggery centre to boost livelihoods in Obuasi
1 hour -
Today’s Front pages: Monday, June 22, 2026
1 hour