A Nigerian man was charged Wednesday with kidnapping three Americans, two of them San Diegans -- allegedly lured to Kenya in a phony business deal and then held for ransom. Americans Thought Kenyans Were Business Partners The three men were freed unharmed by police Tuesday from a house in a residential neighborhood where one had reportedly been held in chains since January. Augustine Azubuike Nwanga, who was also accused of demanding $80,000 for the release of the Americans, pleaded innocent to the charges at his arraignment. The Nigerian is said to be one of three involved in luring the Americans to Kenya through an Internet contact offering them lucrative deals in fish and diamonds. Police said the other two Nigerians escaped during the raid Tuesday. Rev. William Danny Marrow, 60, of Norfolk, Va.; Jurgen Robert Ahlmann, 58, of Escondido; and James Edward Harrel, 67, of San Diego, appeared in court Wednesday but refused to speak to the press. Chief Magistrate Boaz Olao told the three they would have to appear in court again on Friday to give evidence. Police spokesman Dola Indidis said the Nigerians paid the Americans' air fare to Kenya. The two believed they were to meet an investor willing to put up $5 million for a business venture, according to the FBI. They had been told that they were to be put up in one of the finer hotels in Nairobi, an FBI official said. Indidis said the three Americans were booked at a hotel but were "kind of hijacked, and they never reached the hotel." He said Marrow had been held since January and the other two Americans for about 10 days after their arrival earlier this month. The thing only came to light when the suspects demanded ransom from family members," Indidis said. "The Nigerian was arrested after police set a trap for the delivery of the first installment of the ransom, $7,000." U.S. Embassy spokesman Peter Claussen said there would be no comment on the case because of U.S. privacy laws. He said FBI agents stationed at the embassy had assisted Kenyan police. Residents of the housing estate where the Americans were held called their Nigerian neighbors very friendly. "I used to chat with them. They were very friendly," said Bernard Ochieng, 31, who runs an electric repair shop. "I even repaired their radio once." Marrow, Ahlmann and Harrel are expected to arrive in San Diego this Saturday to be reunited with their families.