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  • Court dismisses Evans’ application to quash charges

    Court dismisses Evans’ application to quash charges

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye of an Igbosere High Court, Lagos, on Thursday dismissed the application by the suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a Evans, seeking to quash charges slammed on him, saying they are not defective and not an abuse of court processes.

    Evans had asked the court to quash the two separate charges filed against him by the Lagos State Government.

    The Lagos State Government had brought a fresh five-count charge bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder against Evans and three others.

    Evans is charged alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

    In the second charge, Evans is being tried alongside Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.

    At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, Justice Akintoye said based on the proof of evidence before the court, issue for determination was whether a prima facie case has been established against the defendants.

    She, however, held that a prima facie case had been established as there were grounds for proceedings, adding that the proof of evidence must sufficiently link the defendant to the offence allegedly committed.

    “Looking closely to the proof of evidence attached to the information in this case, a prima facie case has clearly been disclosed against the defendant/applicant,” Akintoye said.

    The judge said the victim in the instant case, Uche Okereafor’s wife was the person who paid the ransom, adding that the statement of the first defendant (Evans) itself alleged that the first defendant was the master mind and gang leader.

    “Other defendants participated in several kidnappings and shared the ransom collected from their victims.

    “The third defendant ( Ugochukwu Nwachukwu) in his own statement and proof of evidence showed that he is a member of the gang and shared in the ransom collected from victims.

    “I hold, therefore, that the proof of evidence disclosed a prima facie case against the first and third defendant,” she said.

    Justice Akintoye also said that the charge filed against the defendants were not defective based on the provisions of Section 152 and 153 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Lagos State, 2015.

    She added: “It is my view that the prosecution has complied with provisions of this section in view that every offence shall be charged separately.

    “I also hold that the charge is not an abuse of court process, an abuse of court process means that the process of the court has not been properly and voluntarily followed.

    “The defendant argued that the prosecution has filed similar charges against the defendants in other Lagos State High Courts but the prosecution has shown in the proof of evidence that the victims and defendants are not the same in each case.

    “I hold that the charge presently constituted is not an abuse of court process, therefore cannot be quashed.”

    Justice Akintoye also said that the court does not have the power and the jurisdiction to quash the charge before the close of the prosecution’s case.

    “I don’t believe that the court has the power to quash the charge before the close of the prosecution’s case as in the clear wordings of Section 262 of ACJL, such application is premature and can not be sustained.

    “The defendant must wait until the close of the prosecution’s case before applying for any charge to be quashed.

    “I, therefore, hold that the defendants application to quash the charge leveled against them is hereby refused and dismissed,” Akintoye ruled.

    She also said the same fate is applicable to the second defendant (Joseph Emeka), who urged the court to expunge his name from the charge stating that no prima facie case was made against him.

    According to her, the proof of evidence proved that a prima facie case has been established against him.

    She said the court found no merit in the second defendant application and consequently dismissed it.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that counsel to the first defendant, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, had filed a motion on notice to quash all the charge filed against the first defendant (Evans).

    In the motion on notice, Ogungbeje said that ‎all the charges and the proof of evidence before the court did not establish any prima facie case against the first defendant, insisting that all the charges were “grossly defective, incompetent and constituted an abuse of court processes.”

    He stated that the prosecution had earlier filed similar charges and amended charges bordering on kidnapping against the same first defendant pending before the same High Court of Lagos State.

    He averred that the two separate charges were brought in bad faith to “harass, oppress, hound, frustrate, vex and intimidate the first defendant.”

    ‎In her response to the motion, the State Director for Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey, said there was sufficient proof and evidence linking the first defendant to the offences brought before the court and therefore, urged the court to dismiss the application.

    Shitta-Bey said the first defendant was charged with the offence of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping of one Uche Okereafor.

    She also said that other charges filed against the first defendant before other judges involved different defendants, different offences and different victims.

    Meanwhile, the second defendant, Joseph Emeka, urged the court in a motion on notice to quash the two-count charge preferred against him, adding that the proof of evidence did not disclose any prima facie case against him.

    However, the counsel to the fourth defendant, Emmanuel Ochai, agreed with the submission and arguments of the first and second defendants’s counsel.

    Evans was arrested on June 10, 2017 and was in August 2017 arraigned before Justice Hakeem Oshodi at an Ikeja High Court for kidnapping.

  • Evans chained me for 88 days, told me killing humans not sin before God – Victim

    Mr Donatius Dunu, the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Lagos, on Friday told an Ikeja High Court how he was kidnapped and held for 88 days by the suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans and his gang.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

    Dunu, who was led in evidence by Mrs Titilayo Shitta-Bey, the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in a lengthy four-hour testimony.

    The pharmaceutical boss, the second prosecution witness, began his testimony by identifying his alleged captors.

    Removing his spectacles and pointing to the defendants in the dock, he said: “I know this one he is Evans, I know the second one he is Uche and I know the fourth one he is Congo.”

    Narrating the events of his kidnap on Feb 14, 2017, Dunu added: “At 7.30 p.m. when I closed from work, I was going home along Obokun Street, Ilupeju, Lagos.

    “I suddenly saw an SUV in front of my car, I wanted to reverse but two people came out of the SUV holding long guns.

    “They pointed the long guns at me and dragged me out of my car and pushed into the booth of the SUV, covering me with a car cover, someone lay on top of me and I was taken to an unknown place.

    “On our way, they brought out a locally made iron and bound my hands with and when we had reached the unknown place and while face down I was taken to a bungalow.

    “In the parlour of the house, they started asking for my name, my wife and children’s name as well as the name of my hometown.

    “After telling them, their chairman asked them to bring guns, a very long gun and a black and silver pistol was brought, they showed me the guns and Ak47 was written on the long gun.”

    Dunu said after giving his personal information, the kidnap gang demanded a ransom.

    “They said now that I have said all these things, it is confirmed that I am the person that they are looking for and I have to pay the `bail’.

    “Their chairman said that I should give them `their money’ and that it has to be complete and that nothing must remain.

    “The chairman is Evans, he is their boss, after they made their demands they put me in a dark room.

    “Their money was the money that they wanted to take from me, they had not mentioned any amount at this point.

    “When I was taken to the dark room, I was asked to remove my clothes and I was given a pair of boxer short to wear and I was blindfolded where I remained till April 10.

    “That night, they brought a phone that their chairman wanted to speak to me, the chairman told me that I was nobody on earth can bring me out that it is only God that will bring me out.

    “He said that if I should prove stubborn, he will give me an injection that will make me forget myself in life and that he can also ask his boys to use pillow to suffocate me that no one will know about it.

    “A week later, I told the boys that I want to speak to their chairman and the next day they brought a phone to me that their chairman wanted to speak to me.

    “He asked where I have warehouses and he also asked me why I used to go to Alaka Estate in Surulere, I told him I have a friend there but one of my warehouses are in Eriaka Street and I have two other warehouses in Alao Estate, Lagos.

    “He asked for the addresses and I told him I didn’t know the addresses, he told me that he heard that I gave my staff 40 Toyota Corolla cars and he heard I pay my graduate staff N50, 000 per month,” he said.

    Dunu added: “I told him yes that the N50, 000 was for their take home but it was like a contract that if they make their target for the sale of good, they earn a commission.

    “The phone call ended and three or four days later, the boys brought the phone to me telling me that my bail is 2 million dolllars.

    “Giving me the phone, I started pleading with him that even our entire family does not have such money, after my plea the money came down to 1 million dollars and they took back the phone.

    “After three days, they brought back the phone and they told me that my fee is no longer 1 million dollars but 1 million euros, that he has got more information about me and the phone was taken away.”

    The CEO told the court that the kidnappers contacted his older brother, Mr Anselem Dunu, for the ransom, noting that he was tortured and beaten every time his brother was on the phone with the kidnappers.

    “I was in a very bad condition when we were negotiating the ransom, they removed my mattress and I was made to sleep on the tiled floor.

    “My hands were bound with locally made iron and my legs were bound with shackles used for mad men.

    “When I told my brother about the ransom, he started crying that where are we going to get that kind of amount in an economic recession.

    “Anytime they called my brother they will beat me for him to hear my cries, I told my brother to get to know sources where we can borrow money from.

    “At a point he said they were able to raise N60 million that when I come out, they will get the remaining money from me.

    “He said I and my brother are talking rubbish and that he should change the money into euro as agreed.

    “There was a time the Naira appreciated so much sometime in March last year that he (Evans) asked not to change it to Euros anymore.

    “Later when the Naira depreciated, he asked them to go back to Euros, I pleaded with him that Euros was hard to change and his boys later told me to ask for a discount.

    “He agreed to a 50 per cent discount and my bail was reduced from 1 million euros to 500,000 Euros.”

    Dunu said his communication with his brother was done via conference call with Evans on the phone line.

    He said on Wednesday before 2017 Easter, Evans agreed to reduce his ransom to 250,000 euros.

    “My brother said that they were only able to raise 223,000 euros and that the 27,000 euros that will make it 250,000 euros is about N11 million and that it took the family almost two months to raise 223,000 euros and that it was very difficult raising such amount.

    “My brother pleaded that they should take the 223,000 euros and that when I come out they will get the balance.

    “He (Evans) got annoyed, he told my brother that he will be the one to bring the ransom to them that he will see how he will go home alive and if he brings the money, he will be shot.

    “My brother responded that their money is in the bank and that he will never bring the money and that his driver will deliver the money.

    “At this point the boys collected the phone and started shouting that God will punish him, thunder will fire him.

    “This happened on the Wednesday of passion week, I could tell that it was Passion Week because a Celestial Church was close to their detention camp,” Dunu said.

    He said on Easter Monday, he overheard two of his captors plotting to kill him at a canal on the Friday of that week.

    He continued: “Evans came the next day and I was given Indomie to eat to give me strength to face them at the canal.

    “He told me that to kill a human being is not a sin that if God can permit a lion to kill other animals, then to kill a human being is not a sin.

    “The next morning they brought a box that had various dangerous weapons and a particular one had a very long handle and they told me that if it should get into me it will touch my heart.

    “I pleaded for my life that I have very young children with the oldest being 14 years old.”

    According to Dunu, at 3.00 a.m. on the Thursday preceding his planned murder, he escaped from captivity.

    “There was a bed sheet on the bed and as a joke, I wrapped it around the leg shackles and the padlocks opened.

    “At that point I said to myself I will go, if I stay they will kill me, if they catch me while trying to escape they will still kill me, I might as well go.

    “The other person who was to guard me was asleep on a settee in the parlour, the fan was on and was so noisy.

    “The wooden kitchen door was not locked but the burglar proof was locked, I unlocked the upper and lower bolts and when I pushed the burglar proof that locks slid from the hook.

    “In the compound, there was something like a ladder leaning on the fence and the top portion of the fence where the ladder was did not have bottles.

    “I jumped over the fence into another compound and knocked on a window and told the man that responded my problem.

    “He said that he did not know me that I should get away from their compound or they will call the police or security and I asked him to call the police.

    “The man and his wife got up from their bed and brought out their phones to call the police; at that point NEPA took light and they went back to bed.

    “Something told me to hide and not long after past 6.00 a.m., they started looking for me in their big bike and Toyota Hiace.

    “The people I jumped into their compound woke up and saw me hiding, I asked the woman to put me in the booth of their Honda Accord car and get me away.

    “She said No that the only thing they could do for me is to call the chairman of the area.

    “There are two families living in that compound, a small boy of about 20 to 22 years came out with a plastic pipe and chased me away that I am a thief.”

    He said he went to a nearby nursery school where he drew the attention of members of the public because of his unkempt appearance.

    Dunu told the court:“A man asked for my wife’s telephone number, he dialed it and it did not go through.

    “I gave him my cousin’s number, Mr Jude Afugbue, the line went through and he asked my cousin about our relationship, when my cousin confirmed we were cousins, he became convinced I was not a thief.”

    He said he was taken to Idimu Police Station where he was reunited with his older brother Anselem.

    “I was taken to the office of the Commissioner of Police at Ikeja and from there the to Surulere to the Anti-cultism and Kidnapping Section.

    “The police and I went to the house at Igando where they kept me, the house was locked and they broke the locks and arms as ammunition were recovered.”

    Dunu also gave the details of his recovery from the traumatising experience: “We went back to the Commissioner’s office and I was taken to a hospital, where I stayed for a week and from there I went to a hotel to hide.

    “I was in hiding for a month and two or three days and I went abroad for further check up.”

    He said after his ordeal, Evans and his accomplices asked him for forgiveness.

    “I met the first defendant (Evans) at Police House, Ikoyi, when they were asking him questions, he apologized to me that I should forgive him that it was the devil that made him do it.

    “I met the second defendant (Uche) at the Police House, Ikoyi, when the police asked him questions and he answered, I recognized his voice as the one that used to give me food and medicine at the detention camp.

    “He is from Imo and he speaks Imo, the second person who is still a large calls himself Adebayo but he is from Anambra.

    “The fourth defendant is Congo, I met him at Agege Police Station, I confronted him saying that he is my town’s man that I did not know that he was involved until the police showed him to me.

    “He was trying to beg that it was the devil that led him to give Evans information about me, that I should forgive him.

    “The 223,000 euros that was paid as ransom has never been recovered.”

    Dunu while being cross-examined by Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, Evans’ lawyer, said that he made a mistake by giving conflicting dates of Feb. 14, 2017 and April 14,2017 as the date of his kidnap in his statement to the police.

    He also said that while writing his statement after his release, he was unaware that a ransom had been paid.

    “I did not know while writing the statement that my brother has paid the 223,000 euros to them because the last time I had spoke to him (Anselem) was Wednesday of the Passion Week.”

    Justice Hakeem Oshodi adjourned the case until May 10 for continuation of trial and cross-examination of Dunu.

  • Just in: Evans sues police, seeks release of his Magodo buildings

    Suspected kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, has filed a fresh suit against the Police at a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

    This time, Evans wants the court to compel the police to immediately and unconditionally release his two residential houses located in Magodo area of Lagos State.

    He also wants the court to order the police and its leadership to severally and jointly tender an apology as well as pay him the sum of N1 billion.

    The N1billion he said is general and exemplary damages for the alleged forceful seizure and confiscation of his properties without a court order and perpetual injunction restraining them from tampering or taking any action against him or any of his properties in relation to this case.

    Apart front the two residential houses, Evans also listed his other seized properties to include N50 million cash, a wrist-watch worth $170,000, a phone worth $30,000 and five pieces of Saphono Rucci Diamond rings worth $100,000.

    Others are three Italian travel bags worth $55,000 dollars, 10 Spanish shoes each worth N2.5 million, 20 KVA inverter set worth N10 million and two sets of dining table worth N8 million.

    The applicant also wants N4 million as the cost of action against the police.

    His lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje filed the suit against the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, the Intelligence Response Team, (IRT), ACP Abba Kyari and DSP Phillip Rieninwa.

    No date has however been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

  • Evans’counsel frustrating trial – DPP

    The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) on Thursday accused Olukoya Ogungbeje, counsel to suspected billionaire kidnaper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, of attempting to frustrate the trial.

    The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey, stated this while responding to Ogungbeje’s application seeking to quash the charges against Evans.

    Evans and three others are facing seven- count charge of conspiracy, attempted kidnapping, kiddnapping, murder and attempted murder contrary to Section 411 Criminal Law Cap C 17, Vol 13, Section 271 (3) and Section 230 (A) Cap C17, of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The second to fourth defendants are – Joseph Ikenna Emeka, Chiemeka Arinze and Udeme Frank Upong.

    “The fresh application filed by the 1st defendant’s counsel contains the same elements as the former application which the court had ruled on. This fresh application is just a ploy to derail and frustrate the trial, “Shitta-Bey said.

    However, Ogungbeje responded, saying “no, my Lord, the prosecution are the ones delaying their case. The prosecution knows what we want. They have filed multiple charges and even one of the charges they filed does not even have proof of evidence.”

    He expressed displeasure at issues raised by the prosecution, accusing him of trying to stall the trial.

    He maintained that the basis of his applications before the court is on the procedure applied by the prosecution in filing the charges against his client.

    At this stage, the Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo asked Ogungbeje what he wanted, remarking that one day trial will commence in the matter.

    “I know that one day, one day we will hear this case,” the Judge said before adjourning the matter till March 21 in order to enable the prosecution file a fresh charge and subsequently move forward.

  • Court adjourns continuation of trial on Evans case till March 2

    The trial of Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a Evans, and his alleged accomplices, was on Friday adjourned until March 2 by an Ikeja High Court.

    The trial was adjourned due partly to the fact that Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, a co-defendant, had yet to secure legal representation.

    Anselm Dunu, the brother of Donatius Dunu, a victim, was scheduled to be cross-examined on Friday by the defence counsel.

    He was, however, not fully cross-examined by the defence because of the absence of Mr. Nwachukwu’s lawyer.

    Messrs. Evans and Nwachukwu are standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

    During Friday’s proceedings, Justice Hakeem Oshodi inquired from Mr. Nwachukwu (the fourth defendant), why he did not have a legal representation.

    “My Lord, we are still making arrangements for a lawyer,” he said.

    Registering her displeasure, Titilayo Shitta-Bey, the State Director of Public Prosecutions, urged the court to proceed with the trial, noting that it was a ploy by the defence to delay proceedings.

    She said: “On the last adjourned date which was November 17, 2017, this court inquired from the fourth defendant on how long it will take for him to engage a counsel to represent him in this matter and he requested for two weeks.

    “Here we are in January 19, 2018, still no legal representation.

    “My learned friend, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, who appeared for the first and second defendants, had previously announced his appearance for the fourth defendant.

    “He thereafter withdrew his appearance on the grounds that the fourth defendant was yet to perfect his brief.

    “Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution provides that a defendant is entitled to counsel of his choice and he can also represent himself if he so wishes.”

    According to Ms. Shitta-Bey, there is a Supreme Court pronouncement on the matter of delays or where there is a deliberate attempt to delay proceedings in court.

    “The duty of the court is to assert its control over proceedings and not to permit either of the parties to impose a state of helplessness on the court.

    “Where a party has been given ample opportunity by the court to secure representation, the court cannot wait forever or delay proceedings forever.

    “The court can assign a counsel to take up the defence of the defendant,” she told the court.

    The DPP also submitted that a speedy trial is fundamental in the speedy dispensation of justice and noted that Mr. Ogungbeje could represent Mr. Nwachukwu and commence the cross-examination of Mr. Dunu.

    Mr. Ogungbeje, however denied trying to delay the trial, saying “the family of Nwachukwu met us and they promised that they will perfect our brief in a week or two.

    “In the circumstance, I will like to say that it is not the fourth defendant’s (Nwachukwu) fault that he did not have a counsel; his new counsel, Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku, withdrew from the case.”

    Justice Hakeem Oshodi ordered that the defence counsel present in court should cross-examine Mr. Dunu.

    Mr. Dunu, while being cross-examined by Ogungbeje, told the court that he did not know the persons who were given the N100 million ransom for his brother’s release.

    “I spoke to some unknown voices, I don’t know if the voices belong to the first and second defendants (Evans and Amadi).

    “I did not hand over the ransom, I did not know the persons the ransom was given to, but I know the person who gave the instructions of whom the money should be given to.

    “The strange voices told me what to do in order to release my brother, I only met the first and second defendants for the first time in the office of the Inspector-General of Police.

    “I made my statement to the police sometime in June but I did not mention the names of the first and second defendant because I did not know their names then.

    “In my statement, I said I did not suspect anyone in the kidnap of my brother. The voices I spoke to during the ransom negotiations were muffled,” he said.

    On November 3, 2017, Mr. Dunu had in his examination-in-chief told the court that the defendants had demanded one million Euros as ransom for the release of his younger brother, Donatius Dunu.

    Donatius was kidnapped on February 14, 2017 along Obokun Road, Ilupeju, Lagos and his family reportedly paid N100 million ransom to secure his release.

    After Mr. Dunu left the witness box, Emmanuel Uchai, a defence counsel for Mr. Aduba, one of Evan’s co-defendants, applied orally for his bail.

    “I am seeking an order for the bail for the sixth defendant (Aduba). The bedrock of the criminal justice system is the assumption of innocence subject to the discretionary powers of the court.

    “There is nothing linking the sixth defendant to the kidnap of Donatius Dunu, he has no prior criminal record.

    “The prosecution argued that some members of the gang are still at large but there is nothing in the charge before the court that suggests it.

    “I wish to appeal that the sixth defendant be granted bail on liberal terms which can allow him attend trial and not punish him,” he said.

    Objecting to the application, Ms. Shitta-Bey told the court that she had a 15-page counter-affidavit and a written address to that effect.

    Citing the Supreme Court case of Asari Dokubo Vs the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the DPP said that Mr. Aduba should be denied bail in the interest of the public.

    “This is a serious offence and it is not going to guarantee the peace and tranquillity of the society and there is no material evidence before the court guaranteeing this.

    “I pray the court to refuse the defendant’s bail and dismiss this bail application,” she said.

    Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until March 2 for ruling on the bail application and the cross-examination of Mr. Dunu.

     

  • Court rejects Evan’s N300m suit challenging continued detention

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday dismissed the N300 million fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by alleged billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly called ‘Evans’.

    The judge, Abdulaziz Anka, dismissed the suit for lacking merit.

    The alleged notorious kidnapper had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping before a judge but later changed his plea to ‘not guilty.’

    Evans had dragged the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, and Special Anti-Robbery Squad before the court for alleged illegal detention.

    The alleged kidnapper, through his lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, claimed that his prolonged detention in police custody was a violation of his fundamental human rights.

    He also accused the police of subjecting him to a media trial.

    But the police had responded that they obtained a court order to detain the suspect for 90 days for proper investigation.

    Delivering his judgment on the suit, Mr. Anka said the police’s decision to detain Evans was reasonable since the police had shown they had an order to detain him for 90 days.

    On the allegation of subjecting the suspect to a media trial, the judge said no law stops the media from carrying out their constitutional duty.

    “This case does not succeed and is accordingly dismissed. All parties have the right of appeal,” Mr. Anka said.

  • West Brom Captain, Jonny Evans set to leave club in January

    West Brom captain Jonny Evans is set to leave next month after the club failed to persuade the Northern Ireland defender to sign a new contract.

    Evans has 18 months on his present deal and it’s understood he has no intention of extending his stay at the Hawthorns.

    Manchester City, Arsenal and Leicester all expressed interest in the former Manchester United man in the summer.

    The West Brom boss at the time, Tony Pulis, refused to do business because he did not have a replacement.

    Despite the arrival of Alan Pardew, Evans, 29, has still not signed a new deal.

    Unless that situation changes, it is understood West Brom will listen to offers, although given Evans’ contract position, it is highly unlikely they will get the £30m fee it was hoped they would receive in the summer.

    Pardew said: “I think you have to be realistic in these situations. Jonny is a top player, other clubs were interested in him in the summer. We know that and he knows that, we have to be intelligent and straightforward dealing with it.

    “He is under contract for West Brom. He knows he can have those conversations [about a new deal] with us.

    “We will give him the best deal we can possibly go to on the financial side and length of contract, but that might not be the whole thing with Jonny.”

    West Brom are on a club record 17-game winless run in all competitions and Pulis lost his job in November.

    Pardew is yet to win in four matches and has told the players, given their position in the table, they cannot have a Christmas party.

    The Baggies did host a squad Christmas lunch at the training ground on Thursday but Pardew is against the idea of a party.

    “I said to the players when I arrived I don’t think Christmas parties are appropriate in the position we’re in. So the staff haven’t had a party and the players haven’t had a party,” he said.

    BBC Sports

  • Court fixes Nov 10 to decide Evans’ applications to quash murder charges

    The Lagos State High Court in Igbosere has fixed November 10 to rule on whether or not to quash the murder and illegal sales of firearms charges filed by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions against alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo fixed the date on Friday after hearing two applications filed by Evans, through his lawyer, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, challenging the competence of the two fresh charges and seeking to quash them.

    The two fresh charges are different from one, involving kidnapping, on which Evans and his co-defendants were earlier arraigned on August 30, 2017 before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Ikeja division of the court.

    The Lagos State DPP had on Monday attempted to arraign Evans and others on the two fresh charges, but the move was resisted by Evans’ lawyer, Ogungbeje, who contended that the charges were incompetent, saying he had filed two applications seeking to quash them.

    Justice Taiwo had then adjourned till Friday to entertain the applications.

    Moving the applications on Friday, Ogungbeje described the new charges as an abuse of court processes, contending that some of the counts bordering on kidnapping were merely a duplication of the ones filed before Justice Oshodi in Ikeja.

    “Counts 4 and 5 constitute a gross abuse of court processes as similar charges on the same offence of kidnapping had earlier been filed by the prosecution against the same first defendant in charge numbers LD/5962C/2017 and LD/5970C/2017,” Ogungbeje said.

  • JUST IN: Evans arrives court amidst tight security as proceedings for trial begins

    Alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumene Onwuamadike, has arrived the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere where he has two pending charges bordering on murder and illegal possession of firearms.

    He was brought into the court as usual by heavily-armed, combat-ready policemen.

    The court scheduled this morning to hear his application challenging the competence of the two separate charges.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that his (Evans) arraignment on Monday was temporarily stalled as his lawyer brought an application seeking to quash the charges.

    The Lagos State Government had slammed the fresh charges on Evans, who was hauled up before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo over alleged attempt to kidnap the Chairman of the Young Shall Grow Motors, Mr Vincent Obianodo.

    Following the application, the judge fixed Evans’ arraignment for Thursday (today) Oct. 27.

    Details shortly…

  • Alleged kidnap kingpin, Evans’ second arraignment stalled, fixed for Oct. 27

    The arraignment of alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a Evans at an Igbosere High Court in Lagos Island on fresh charges, was on Monday temporarily stalled as his lawyer brought an application seeking to quash the charges.

    The Lagos State Government had slammed the fresh charges on Evan, who was hauled up before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo over alleged attempt to kidnap the Chairman of the Young Shall Grow Motors, Mr Vincent Obianodo.

    Following the application, the judge fixed Evans’ arraignment for Oct. 27.

    Evans, who was arrested on June 10, was brought to court alongside other defendants.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in the first charge, Evans was docked with one Victor Aduba on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.

    They were accused of conspiring and kidnapping one Sylvanus Hafia.

    In the second charge, Evans was docked with three other defendants — Joseph Emeka, Chiemeka Arinze, and Udeme Upong.

    They are facing a seven-count charge bordering on murder, attempt to commit murder, attempt to kidnap and sale and transfer of firearms.

    When the case came up on Friday, the courtroom was packed with a battery of reporters, lawyers and armed security men.

    Counsel to Evans, Ogungbeje, told the court that the charge was only served on him this morning and objected to the arraignment of the defendants.

    “We got a wind that our client will be arraigned this morning; so, we brought a motion challenging the competence of the charge based on the issue of jurisdiction,” Ogungbeje said.

    The lawyer also said that the Prosecutor, Ms T. K. Shitta-Bey, the State Director for Public Prosecutions, had replied his motion on notice with a counter-affidavit.

    He, therefore, told the court:“We intend to reply the counter-affidavit on points of law. We ask for a short adjournment to enable us reply on points of law.

    “It is also a settled law that when an application challenging seeking to quash a charge is brought, such application should be taken first before any arraignment because when plea is taken, it means trial has started.”

    The counsel to other defendants, Mr Emmanuel Ochai and Mr Ogedi Ogu, however, did not object to the arraignment of the defendants.

    Ochai said: “We were served with the charge this morning, since we are seeing the charge for first time, we do not wish to join issues, we live it at the discretion of the court.”

    The prosecutor, however, earlier told the court that the business of the day was arraignment of the defendants.

    Shitta-Bey said the charge was served personally on the defendants on Aug. 28, adding that it was in compliance with the provisions of Section 87 (1) Administration of Criminal Justice Law, Lagos State.

    She said the application seeking to quash the charge should not be allowed.

    “The application is not ripe for hearing, we were only served on Friday evening Oct. 20, we have diligently replied by filing a counter-affidavit.

    “It is my humble submission that the business of the day be allowed to go on.”

    Shitta-Bey, afterwards conceded to the defendant counsel’s argument and said that the pending applications should be heard first.

    The judge, consequently, adjourned the case until Oct. 27 for hearing pending of applications.

    NAN also reports that the lawyers to the defendants, however, declined press interview after the short proceedings.

    Evans had on Oct. 19 at an Ikeja High Court made a U-turn as he entered a plea of `not guilty’ as he was re-arraigned on a two-count amended charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.

    On Aug. 30, Evans had at his arraignment pleaded guilty to the charges, while other alleged accomplices — Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, the only female defendant, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba — denied the charges.

    They were charged with the kidnap of Mr Donatius Duru on Aug. 30.

    The punishment section in the second count of amended charge was changed from Section 271 (3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State to Section 2(1) of the Kidnap Prohibition Law of the Laws of Lagos 2017.

    According to the prosecution led by Ms. P.K. Shitta-bey, the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Evans and his accomplices committed the offence of conspiracy at 7.45 p.m. on Feb. 14 on Obokun Street, Ilupeju, Lagos.

    The prosecution said the defendants between Feb. 14 and April 12 at Obokun Street, Ilupeju, while armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, captured and detained Duru.

    The defendants allegedly collected a ransom of 223,000 euros for the release of Donatius.

    Before the amended charges were read to the defendants, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, the counsel to Evans and Amadi had opposed the reading of the charges to them.

     

    NAN TheNewsGuru.com