An alleged kidnapper says he was collecting a debt owed for vehicles and drugs when he entered a top-floor apartment and terrorised two men hiding in a cupboard.
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But Fakatounaulupe ''Lupe'' Ngata has denied kidnapping and unlawfully confining three men - and viciously assaulting one of them - in April 2009.
The 32-year-old is standing trial in the ACT Supreme Court with Matthew James Massey, 35, over an alleged crime spree in Canberra's south spanning three days.
They have pleaded not guilty, and their lawyers have argued the apartment was linked to the illicit drug trade.
Police found traces of methylamphetamine, or ice, in the unit along with a quantity of ''cutting agent'' legally available over the counter in Canberra.
But the court heard there was not enough evidence to prosecute anyone for drug dealing or possession.
Ngata told the jury yesterday that he was collecting a debt when he arrived at a top-floor apartment at the Bentley Suites complex in Forrest on April 13.
But Ngata said he'd never seen the man he was accused of kicking in the head, so hard the victim defecated, before the man gave evidence in court.
The accused man said a friend of his owed money to Ngata for the sale of a couple of dirt bikes and a car, and the friend in turn was owed money by one of the alleged victims.
Ngata agreed to go and collect $40,000, stemming from the sale of a bike, a car and an ounce of the drug ice, from the complainant.
He said he drove to the unit with Massey and found the debtor and another man hiding in a wardrobe ''hugging each other on their knees''.
Ngata told the jury he agreed to give the man three weeks to pay provided he hand over a bike and car garaged at the man's Narrabundah home as a ''down payment''.
But the accused man said he then walked out on to the balcony, saw police gathering and was immediately concerned because there were drugs in the apartment.
The four men fled the apartment, and Ngata was subsequently arrested and released on police bail the next morning.
That afternoon he and Massey allegedly snatched the third victim from a Fyshwick workshop, but the accused man denied yesterday ever holding anyone against their will.
It is alleged they drove to several locations in Canberra, ultimately coercing the debtor into signing over a receipt for a motorbike to Massey.
Ngata said it was agreed the bike would be Massey's ''cut'' for helping collect the debt.
But he denied the assaults, robberies, kidnappings and forced confinement ever occured.
Ngata denied rehearsing his version of events with Massey while locked up on remand.
''We just talked about how much lies can cost a man, and put a man in custody for 2 years,'' he told the jury.
The jury and Justice John Burns are expected to start hearing closing submissions today.
