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  • Alleged kidnap: Evans plea bargain application stalled

    Alleged kidnap: Evans plea bargain application stalled

    Hearing in the plea bargain application filed by the convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (a.k.a  Evans), could not proceed on Thursday due to the absence of the legal advice.

    Evans and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, had filed the application before a Lagos High Court, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square.

    They are standing trial on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and attempted murder preferred against them by Lagos Government.

    Evans is charged alongside Emeka, Victor Aduba and Linus Opara.

    At the resumed hearing on Thursday, the prosecution counsel, Mr M. O. Olateju, told the court that the prosecution was waiting for advice from the plea bargain committee.

    He, therefore, asked the court for a further date so that the advice would be ready.

    “We shall be asking for a further date for hearing of plea bargain by the first and second defendants,” he said.

    Evans and Emeka had opted for a plea bargain on the charge against them.

    However, Mrs A. C Enueshike, the third defendant’s counsel, told the court that her client was ready to proceed for trial.

    “We have heard the submission of the prosecution and we are ready to proceed for trial,” she had said.

    Justice Sherifat Sonaike, thereafter, adjourned the case until Oct. 17 for further hearing.

    The case started denovo after the case file was transferred from Justice Adedayo Akintoye, the initial trial judge.

    Recall that Justice Akintoye was handling the trial at Igbosere part of the High Coourt, before it got burnt during the October 2020 #Endsars saga.

    The prosecution had said that the defendants committed the offences on Sept.7, 2015, at 7th Avenue, Festac Town, Lagos.

    According to the prosecution, Evans and his co-defendants allegedly kidnapped one Mr James Uduji and collected a ransom of 1.2 million US Dollars.

    He alleged that the defendants attempted to murder another victim, one Mr Donatus Nwoye, by shooting him on the hand.

    According to the prosecution, the offences contravened Sections 230, 271(3) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.

  • Billionaire kidnapper, Evans, partner approach court, seek plea bargain

    Billionaire kidnapper, Evans, partner approach court, seek plea bargain

    Convicted billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans facing attempted murder charges, has filed a settlement request with the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.

    Evans alongside his co-defendant Joseph Emeka, facing murder, and attempted kidnap have both  opted for the option of a plea bargain.

    During the re-arraignment hearing before Justice Adenike Coker on Thursday, prosecutor Yusuf Sule revealed that a plea bargain option is being considered.

    Evans and his co-defendant will be re-arraigned on an amended five-counts bordering on murder, attempt to murder, and conspiracy to commit felony to wit: kidnapping and attempt to murder.

    Sule told the court that the case was for re-arraignment but he was aware the defendant had applied for a plea bargain.

    The prosecutor, however, said that the plea bargain terms were being considered by the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN).

  • Just In: Notorious kidnapper Evans opts for plea bargain

    Just In: Notorious kidnapper Evans opts for plea bargain

    Notorious kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans), and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, have opted for plea bargain agreement.

    The duo was charged with murder and attempted kidnap before an Ikeja high court.

    Their re-arraignment was stalled on Thursday  due to absence of Evans’s counsel, but lead state counsel, Mr Yusuf Sule, informed the court that the defendants had  applied for plea bargain.

    Sule said  that  the plea bargain option was being considered by the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN).

    Justice Adenike Coker adjourned the case until June 13 for re-arraignment of  Evans and Emeka.

    Coker also directed Evans to ensure  availability of his counsel in court on June 13.

    “In view of the absence of counsel to the first  defendant, this  case is hereby adjourned until June 13, and the first  defendant is directed  to ensure  his counsel is in court.

    “There is  no excuse for his absence.

    “In the light of the amendment charge before the court, the case against the third and the fourth defendants are strucked out,” the judge said.

    Evans and Emeka were to be re-arraigned on an amended five-count charge of murder, conspiracy to commit  murder, conspiracy to commit  kidnapping, kidnapping  and attempted murder.

    Counsel to the  second  defendant, Mr Nelson Onyejaka, was in court.

    Sule told the court that he spoke with  Evans’s counsel concerning the case and he did not know why he was not in court.

    ” I am aware that the defendants have applied  for plea bargain but it is being considered by the attorney-general.

    “We have  an amended charge, my lord,  because the fourth defendant has been convicted while the third defendant died in prison.

    “We shall be asking for another  date for re-arraignment of the  defendants,” Sule said.

    In February 2022, Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja high court sentenced Evans to life imprisonment for the kidnap of Chief Donatus Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

    In September 2022, another judge of the court, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, also  Evans to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping a businessman Slyvanus Ahamonu and collecting $420,000 as ransom from his family.

    NAN

  • Re-arraignment of kidnap kingpin, ‘Evans’ suffers setback

    Re-arraignment of kidnap kingpin, ‘Evans’ suffers setback

    The re-arraignment of a kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwamadike, also known as Evans, on Thursday, suffered a setback due to the absence of two other co-defendants.

    Evans and three others (Joseph Emeka, Chiemeka Arinze, and Udeme Upong, were brought before Justice Adenike Coker, of an Ikeja High Court.

    While Evans and Emeka (first and second defendants) where present in court, Arinze and Upong (third and fourth defendants) were absent.

    Justice Coker asked the prosecution the whereabouts of the other two defendants and why they failed to appear before the court.

    She urged the prosecution to tidy it’s house and ensure that the counsels be served proof of evidence before the next adjourned date.

    The judge, thereafter, adjourned the matter until Feb. 1 for arraignment.

    The Lagos State Prosecutor, Ms Titi Adeegbe had told the court that the third and fourth defendants were absent and that she has no information at to their current status.

    Earlier, the defence counsel, representing Evans, Ms Mary Dibiaeze, reminded the court that the third defendant had died, while the fourth defendant was discharged from the case.

    The counsel to the second defendant, Mr Nelson Onyejaka informed the court that they had not been served proof of evidence by the prosecution.

    Evans had been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Hakeem Oshodi sometime in Feb. 2022.

    He and his co-defendants, was later sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by retired Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo prior to her retirement.

  • De Gea also had difficult start – Evans defends Onana

    De Gea also had difficult start – Evans defends Onana

    Manchester United defender Jonny Evans has urged teammate Andre Onana not to be “too harsh on himself”.

    Onana is being questioned after a shaky start to his United career, which included a major error in defeat at Champions League opponents Bayern Munich. Onana later blamed himself for the 4-3 loss.

    “It’s a big thing for him to do that,” said Evans to TNT Sports. “He didn’t have to do that. But I think it’s very difficult for any player coming to a new club to hit the ground running and maybe he’s been a bit harsh on himself.

    “I’ve seen that quite a lot. And I’ve experienced that myself.

    “He’s replacing David de Gea, who was here for a long time. Again, remember, David at the start of his career at Manchester United, maybe went through a bit of a tough time to settle in and we saw what sort of career he would go on to have for this club.”

  • Police re-arraign Evans for alleged kidnapping, attempted murder

    Police re-arraign Evans for alleged kidnapping, attempted murder

    The convicted billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly called ‘Evans’, was on Thursday re-arraigned before a Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, for alleged kidnapping and attempted murder.

    Evans was re-arraigned alongside Joseph Emeka, Victor Aduba, and Linus Opara, before Justice Ibironke Harrison.

    The Lagos State Prosecution Counsel, Mr H. Owokoniran, arraigned them on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping, and attempted murder.

    The case started denovo after the case file was transferred from Justice Adedayo Akintoye the initial trial judge.

    Justice A. Akintoye was handling the trial at Igbosere part of the high court, before it was burnt during the October 2020 #Endsars saga.

    At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Owokoniran said the state had to re-arraign the defendant because of fresh facts at the desposal of the prosecuting officer.

    Owokaniran, said that the defendants committed the offences on Sept.7, 2015, at 7th Avenue, Festac Town, Lagos.

    According to him, Evans and his co-defendants allegedly kidnapped one Chief James Uduji and collected a ransom of 1.2 million US Dollars.

    He alleged that the defendants attempted to murder the victim one Donatus Nwoye, by shooting him on the hand.

    The prosecution said that the defendants also  shot one Jereome Okezie on his hand and head.

    According to the prosecution, the offences contravene Sections 230, 271 (3) and 411of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The defendants again pleaded not guilty to the charges and the judge adjourned trial until May 3.

  • Court orders kidnap kingpin, Evans to return €233,000 ransom to victim

    Court orders kidnap kingpin, Evans to return €233,000 ransom to victim

    Justice Olukayode Ogunjobi of the Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square has ordered kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, aka Evans, to refund the sum of €233,000 ransom he collected from one of his victims, Chief Donatus Duru.

    Evans abducted Dunu, who is a pharmacist, on February 14, 2017. Duru later escaped from captivity after the convicted kidnapper took €233,000 from the victim.

    Delivering his judgment, Justice Ogunjobi also ordered Evans to pay N50m as general damages in favour of the claimant.

    Justice Ogunjobi held: “It is settled law that no witness who gives materially inconsistent evidence on oath is entitled to the honour of being accorded any credibility and such does not deserve to be treated as a truthful witness.

    “Besides adducing conflicting pieces of evidence on oath, I have watched the demeanor of the Defendant in the witness box when giving evidence and came to the conclusion that the Defendant is not a witness of truth.

    Court orders kidnap kingpin, Evans to return €233,000 ransom to victim
    Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, aka Evans

    “I do not believe his evidence. I accept the unchallenged and uncontroverted evidence of the Claimant and his witnesses. The evidence support the reliefs sought by the Claimant.

    “Consequently, the Claimant is entitled to be paid or repaid and or recover from the Defendant, the sum of Euros 233,000 ransom coercively paid by the Claimant to Defendant when the Defendant kidnapped the Claimant in the year 2017 and held the Claimant hostage for months.

    “The sum of N50 million is awarded as general damages in favour of the Claimant against the Defendant.

    “Post-judgment interest is awarded on the said sum of Euros 233,000 at the rate of 10% per annum from judgment i.e. 14th of February, 2023 until final liquidation. The adjudged said sum of Euros 233,000 and N50million is hereby ordered to be paid or recovered from the Assets of the Defendant. This is the judgment of the Court.”

    The court however refused the claim for the pre-judgment interest of 40 percent per annum on the €233,000.

    Earlier in his testimony, the claimant explained that despite Evans collecting the €233,000 ransom, he failed to release him and he had to escape by himself.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that Duru, who appeared before Justice Hakeem Oshodi, disclosed how he escaped after spending 88 days in the kidnappers’ den located somewhere in Igando, Lagos.

    In his words:

    I closed from work at 7:30 p.m. when an SUV double-crossed me in Ilupeju and a man came down from the car and pointed a long gun at me.

    “He dragged me down and pushed me into the booth of their car and covered the car.

    “I found myself in their den and during an interaction with their chairman, Evans, on phone, he told me that it was only God that could save me from their hands. He said no man will ever find me even if they kill me.

    “I overheard one of the kidnappers telling others that the best option was to kill me since my brothers were not acting fast in paying their one million Euro ransom.

    “But after I prayed in the midnight of Thursday, before the Friday they scheduled to kill me, I wrapped the bed spread in the room where they kept me, round the shackles on my legs, like the one used to chain mad people, the padlocks opened up.”

     

  • Kidnapp: Evans to open defence in victim’s suit over ransom

    Justice Kayode Ogunjobi of the Lagos High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square has adjourned the case of convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans, to open his defence till July 13, 2022.

    Justice Kayode adjourned the case on Wednesday, following the prayers of the defence counsel led by Maxwell Chukwuemeka, who pleaded with the court that he had filed two applications – a motion for change of counsel and a motion for amendment of the defendant’s statement of defence.

    Chukwuemeka was seeking to represent the defendant.

    A kidnapped victim, Chief Donatus Dunu, had in 2018 filed a suit demanding the return of the sum of £223,000 he paid as ransom while in the custody of Evans.

    The claimant is also demanding N50 million as damages.

    The claimant’s counsel, Mr D. O. Obiora, told the court that the defendant has been changing counsel and did not oppose the applications.

    Obiora said the court delivered a ruling on May 23, granting leave for the defendant to file its statement of defence. He continued that the defendant is seeking leave to amend its defence, which it has yet to file.

    However, Justice Ogunjobi granted the two applications.

    The judge stated that “This matter has suffered several adjournments. The delay is hurting everybody and putting the state at their expense.

    “We have been here since 2018 till 2022, at the instance of the defendant. I awarded a cost of N2.5 million because the delay was unwarranted.

    “If there is a further delay, I will award another cost because I don’t see why you have an application to amend your statement of defence and you didn’t come with the amended statement to file it.”

    The justice adjourned the case until July 13 for the defence to open its case.

    The claimant had instituted the suit on May 16, 2018, and served the defendant through the Comptroller General of Prison, Kirikiri maximum prison Lagos.

    The defendant was initially represented by a lawyer in March 2019 and was accorded every opportunity to defend the suit but failed to do so.

    However, when the claimant closed his case on March 3, 2022, the defendant came back seeking leave of court to defend himself.

  • Kidnap victim, Chief Donatus Dunu demands £223,000 ransom from Evans

    Kidnap victim, Chief Donatus Dunu demands £223,000 ransom from Evans

    Convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, has been given 14 days, by the Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), to file his statement of defence in a suit filed against him by one of his victims, Chief Donatus Dunu.

     

    Justice Kayode Ogunjobi in his ruling held that the principle of fair hearing demands that the defendant be given opportunity to defend himself.

     

    The claimant is demanding return of the sum of £223,000 he paid as ransom while
    he was in custody of the kidnap kingpin before he eventually escaped.

     

    He is also demanding the sum of N50million as damages as well as 20 per cent per annum until judgment and its final liquidation.

     

    The claimant had instituted the suit on the 16th May 2018 and served the defendant through the Comptroller General of Prison Kirikiri maximum prison Lagos.

     

    The defendant was initially represented by a lawyer in March 2019 and was accorded every opportunity to defend the suit but failed to do so.

     

    However, when the claimant closed his case on March 3, 2022, the defendant came back seeking leave of court to defend himself.

     

    According to Evans, he has been in prison custody since August 2017 and was not aware of the pendency of this action.

     

    He stated that he became aware of the suit in 2019 when he was already out of time to file his defence.

    Kidnap
    Chief Donatus Dunu

     

    He said immediately he became aware of the suit, he contracted a lawyer to defend him.

     

    The defendant added that sometimes in March 2022, he, through his family, contracted his lawyer to find out the position of the matter only to be informed that the law firm had ceased representing him and that the law firm was yet to file statement of defence in the suit.

     

    The kidnap victim stated that he later discovered that the trial had been concluded without him being represented.

     

    Opposing the request, the claimant argued that the defendant had lost the opportunity to open his defence and cross-examine the claimant’s witnesses.

     

    The claimant argued that one of his witnesses now lives outside the country and that he (claimant) no longer has the capacity to testify again due to the emotional and mental trauma he suffered while giving his testimony in court.

     

    In his ruling, Justice Ogunjobi held that in the interest of fair hearing the defendant should be given the opportunity to defend himself.

     

    The judge held that “From the record of the proceedings, I hold that the defendant was given the opportunity to defend himself. Be that as it may, the defendant should be given opportunity to enter his defence in the interest of justice and for the determination of the suit on its merit.

     

    The judge observed that the claimant closed his case on 3rd of March 2022, adding that the averments of the claimant were not controverted by the defendant.

     

    Refusing Evans’ prayer to cross-examine claimant’s witnesses, Justice Ogunjobi held that Evans had not placed any material before the court to warrant the claimant to reopen his case.

     

    The matter has been adjourned till June 29, 2022 for the defendant to open his defence.

  • Timeline of kidnap kingpin Evans’s trial

    Timeline of kidnap kingpin Evans’s trial

    News of arrest of kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans) by the police on June 10, 2017, dominated Nigeria’s media space the following 12 hours and beyond. His trial continued to hold the attention of the media and the general public.

    Evans was arrested at his residence at No. 3, Fred Shogboyede St, Magodo, Lagos.

    He was accused by the then DCP Abba Kyari-led Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of kidnapping high profile Nigerians and demanding huge ransoms in foreign currencies for their release.

    His four and a half years’ trial before an Ikeja High Court was plagued by delays caused by applications filed by counsel as well as Evans’s frequent change of counsel and the lockdown necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The 64-day strike in 2021 by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) also contributed to the delay.

    This is a timeline of the trial which culminated in a judgment on Friday with the court convicting him and sentencing him to life imprisonment.

    The trial is of the five trials the kidnap kingpin and his accomplices are facing before the High Courts in Lagos State.

    AUG. 30, 2017

    Evans and five others: Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba were charged on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court.

    Evans, Amadi and Nwachukwu pleaded guilty to the charges while Uchechukwu, the only female defendant, Ifeanyi and Aduba pleaded not guilty.

    According to prosecution team led by the then Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, Evans and his accomplices kidnapped the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Maydon Pharmaceuticals, Mr Donatus Dunu, on Feb. 14, 2017, and received 223,000 euros as ransom for his release.

    Five of the defendants were remanded at the then Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison while Uchechukwu, the only female defendant, was remanded at the then Kirikiri Female Prison.

    OCT. 19, 2017

    Evans and his co-defendants were re-arraigned on an amended two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

    The defendants were earlier charged under Sections 271(3) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. On Oct.19, 2017, they were charged under Section 2(1) of the Kidnapping Prohibition Law, No. 13, Laws of Lagos State, 2017, and Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    In a dramatic turn of events, Evans pleaded not guilty.

    NOV. 3, 2017

    Anselem Dunu, Donatus Dunu’s brother, testified as the first prosecution witness in the trial. He narrated how he raised N100 million and converted it to 223,000 euros as ransom for his brother’s release.

    Oshodi dismissed an application filed by Evans’s counsel, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, seeking to quash the two-count charge brought against him by Lagos State Government.

    NOV. 17, 2017

    Evans and his co-defendants complained about their living conditions at the Kirikiri Prisons, to Oshodi.

    “This is unfair, I have not been given food and change of clothes. I was not given the opportunity to bathe since Wednesday,” he said.

    Oshodi ordered the then Director in Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, to investigate the accusation. The judge also dismissed a bail application of Uchechukwu, the only female defendant.

    JAN. 19, 2018

    Anselem’s cross-examination could not commence because Nwachukwu, a co-defendant, had yet to secure legal representation.

    MARCH 2, 2018

    One of Evans co-defendants, Victor Aduba, an ex-soldier, was refused bail.

    Oshodi had considered the gravity of the alleged offences and the possibility of interfering with trial, before arriving at the decision.

    Oshodi, in a separate ruling, foreclosed Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu’s chance of cross-examining Anselem due to his unwillingness to cross-examine him by himself as he had no legal representation.

    MARCH 16, 2018

    Donatius Dunu, the CEO of Maydon Pharmaceuticals and the complainant in the case, testified in the trial as the second prosecution witness.

    He narrated how he was abducted at 7.30 p.m. on Obokun Street, Ilupeju, Lagos, while heading home from work. He said that an initial ransom of two million dollars was demanded, and his hands and feet were shackled during his 88-day stay in captivity.

    He said that due to a fluctuation in dollar rate, the ransom was changed to one million euros which was negotiated down to 500,000 euros. He testified that his brother, Anselem, was able to raise 223,000 euros.

    He said he escaped from captivity while his captors were asleep, and alerted the authorities. He was cross-examined by Evans’s counsel.

    MAY 11, 2018

    The third prosecution witness and a Manager at Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Mr Uchenna Okagwu, narrated how he paid 232,000 euros as ransom to Evans and his accomplices to secure the release of his boss. The money was dropped off at a location at Okota, Lagos.

    “As I walked to the back of my vehicle, I was three steps away, I was asked to drop the ransom, I did so and was told to move immediately after dropping the money.

    “As I looked around, I only saw a vehicle parked at the beginning of the street with full lights on, the vehicle looked like an SUV.”

    Under cross-examination by Ogungbeje, Okagwu said he didn’t see anyone while dropping the ransom and that the money was not given directly to any person.

    SEPT 11, 2018

    The fourth prosecution witness, Insp Idowu Haruna of the Intelligence Response Team, told the court that the defendants were arrested following Donatus Dunu’s escape from captivity.

    Led in evidence by state counsel, Mr Adebayo Haroun, the investigating police officer said that the statements of the defendants were not obtained under duress but rather in a conducive environment.

    Evans’s new counsel, Mr Chinonye Obiagwu, however, opposed the admissibility of the statements on the premise that they were obtained under duress. This prompted Oshodi to order a trial-within-trial.

    OCT 26, 2018

    Taking the stand at the trial-within-trial, Evans claimed that his confessional statement to the police was not obtained voluntarily.

    He claimed that policemen tortured him and made him to witness executions in a bid to get him to admit to the alleged crimes.

    FEB. 1, 2019

    In a ruling, Oshodi admitted Evans’s June 11, 2017 confessional statement in evidence, saying that there was no proof before the court that he was tortured by the police.

    The judge noted that the 1999 Constitution did not require that statements to the police must be in a specific form, adding that based on Evans’s videotaped confession played in court during the trial, there was no proof he was tortured to provide details of his misdeeds.

    JAN. 11, 2020

    Concluding his evidence, Haruna narrated how Evans spent the ransom he collected from his victims.

    “The ransoms collected by the first defendant were used for purchasing houses on Magodo Estate, Lagos, where he was arrested. He also bought a house on Emmanuel Keshi Street on Magodo Estate.

    “He bought a house located in Accra, Ghana. The first defendant also bought landed property in Anambra State from the ransom,” he said.

    After Haruna’s testimony, Haroun told the court that prosecution would be closing its case against the defendants.

    AUG. 14, 2020

    Oshodi gave a ruling on a no-case submission filed by Evans’s co-defendants, Uchechukwu, Ifeanyi, Nwachukwu and Aduba.

    He said the co-defendants had a case to answer due to substantial evidence before the court. He ordered them to open their defence.

    After the ruling, the judge ordered Evans’s new counsel, Mr Oyekunle Falabi, from the law chambers of Victor Opara (SAN) to write an undertaking that the law chambers would conclude the case.

    The judge said Evans had developed a habit of engaging services of lawyers who “disappear halfway through trial”, noting that it was causing delays in the case.

    Since the trial began on Aug. 30, 2017, Evans had been represented at different times by Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, Mr Noel Brown, Mr Chinonye Obiagwu and Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku, all of whom withdrew from the case.

    JAN 22, 2021

    Evans opened his defence. He denied allegations of conspiracy and kidnapping against him, insisting that he was a legitimate businessman.

    Led in defence by his counsel, Opara, he said: “My lord, my name is not Evans, and I don’t have a nickname. I’m a legitimate businessman who deals in haulage and ornaments.”

    He said he was coerced into admitting being a kidnapper after the police, in a bid to make him to confess, extra-judicially killed four individuals in his presence.

    He also testified that he had never met the other defendants, except on the day the police paraded them before the media at Area F, Police Command, Ikeja.

    JUNE 29, 2021

    Evans’s sister, Mrs Ndubuisi Obiechina, testified as the second defence witness. Led in evidence by Opara, she told the court that her brother was tortured by IRT operatives to confess to the crimes.

    Evans co-defendants, Uche Amadi and Ogechi Uchechukwu, a married couple, also presented their defence.

    Amadi told the court that he was arrested alongside his wife in Port Harcourt, adding that he had never been to Lagos and that he did not know or have any relationship with Evans.

    Uchechukwu who married Amadi in 2004, in her defence, disputed her husband’s claim.

    “If anyone comes to this court and says that Amadi has never been to Lagos except in 2017 when he was arrested, then that person must be lying,” she said.

    AUG. 3, 2021

    Evans’s co-defendants, Ifeanyi and Aduba, two ex soldiers of the Nigerian Army, denied being accomplices.

    Responding to questions from Opara, Ifeanyi said, “I have never taken part in any kidnap activities in my life. I have never attempted to kidnap anyone before or conspired with Evans to kidnap the victim (Dunu).”

    Aduba, led in evidence by his counsel, Mr Emmanuel Ochai, said he was forced to sign a confessional statement in police custody after three men — Felix Chinemeren, Paul Samyan and Chukwuma Nwosu — who were initially paraded to the media as kidnappers, were extra-judicially killed by an IRT team.

    Following the evidence of the two former soldiers, defence closed its case.

    DEC. 10, 2021

    Oshodi announced Feb. 25, 2022, as judgment date, after listening to oral submissions of final written addresses by prosecution and defence counsel.

    Opara (SAN), in a final written address dated Nov.1, 2021, said there was no evidence directly linking Evans to the alleged crimes. He said that the kidnap victim, who was blindfolded throughout his 88-day ordeal, did not state in his testimony in court that he could physically identify Evans.

    Haroun, via a final written address dated Nov. 30, 2021, asked the court to convict the defendants, saying that the kidnap victim had given direct evidence about how he was kidnapped, how he escaped and the roles of each defendant.

    “We have circumstantial evidence linking the first defendant (Evans) to the crime and we also have confessional statements and video recordings of him,” Haroun said.

    FEB. 25, 2022

    Oshodi, in a three-hour judgment, found Evans, Amadi and Nwachukwu guilty of the two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping brought against them by Lagos State Government.

    He said that none of the convicts showed any remorse during the trial.

    “Despite the huge evidence stacked against them, they tried to lie their way out.

    “In this respect, the first, second and fourth defendants are each hereby sentenced to life imprisonment. This is the sentence of the court,” he said.

    Other defendants – Uchechukwu and the two ex-soldiers – Ifeanyi and Aduba – were discharged and acquitted. The judge held that there was no evidence linking them to the crimes.