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Tag: kidnap kingpin

  • 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.

  • Alleged kidnap kingpin not UNICAL graduate – Registrar

    Alleged kidnap kingpin not UNICAL graduate – Registrar

    The University of Calabar, on Wednesday, said that the alleged kidnapper, John Ewa, popularly called “John Lyon” was not a graduate of the institution.

    A statement issued in Calabar by the Registrar of the institution, Mr Gabriel Egbe, said that the university’s management stumbled on the media report with dissatisfaction and described it as fallacious.

    Newsmen recalls that Ewa was arrested in connection with kidnapping activities by the Bayelsa Police Command and was subsequently paraded before the media.

    “The said John Ewa was never a student of the university, neither did he graduate from the institution.

    “We urge members of the public to discountenance any information linking John Ewa to our prestigious university,” Egbe said in the statement.

  • JUST IN: Public defender to take up Evans’ case as trial stalls again

    The absence of defence counsel on Friday stalled the trial of alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans and five co-defendants in an Ikeja High Court.

    Friday’s proceedings which was slated for the adoption of arguments in the defendant’s no-case submission, was stalled due to the absence of the defence counsel for Uche Amadi and Ogechi Uchechukwu (second and third defendants respectively).

    Recall that a similar occurrence happened on March 13. On that day, proceedings were also stalled due to Evans having no legal representation.

    Registering his displeasure over the absence of Amadi and Uchechukwu’s defence counsel, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, queried why they did not make an appearance in court in spite of being notified of the proceedings.

    “The court notes with disgust the attitude of the counsel to the second and the third defendants. Their absence today has stalled any progress in this case.

    “The second and third defendants should note that if they are not present during the next adjourned date, the Office of Public Defender (OPD) will have to take up their case.

    “The Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) should notify the OPD of the next adjourned date. This case is adjourned to July 3, 2020 for adoption of no-case submission,” Justice Oshodi said.

    Earlier during proceedings, the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) had also requested that the court should make an Order that the OPD should represent Amadi and Uchechukwu on the next court date if their counsel were still absent.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba over alleged kidnap of Mr Donatius Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Ltd.

    The six defendants were arraigned on Aug. 30, 2017 on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping.

    The prosecution alleged that the defendants kidnapped Dunu along Ilupeju Road, Lagos on Feb. 14, 2017 and collected 223,000 Euros (N100m) as ransom from his family.

    The pharmaceutical boss, allegedly still held captive by the defendants because his family had not paid additional money to the ransom already collected, escaped captivity and alerted the police.

    Four witnesses including Dunu, testified during the trial on behalf of the prosecution and on Jan. 10, the prosecution closed its case against the defendants.

  • 45-year-old kidnap kingpin arrested in Borno

    The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Command in Borno, says it has arrested a 45 year-old man, Ibrahim Ali-Jobo, suspected to be a kidnap kingpin in Biu Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

    The state Corps Commandant, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, made disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Maiduguri.

    Abdullahi said the suspect was arrested on Monday following a report by a resident, Isa Bello, about alleged abduction of his brother, Haruna Bello, at a helmet in Biu.

    He said that the suspect requested the victim’s family to pay N4 million ransom, to enable them secure his release from captivity.

    The commandant added that men of the command tracked the suspect and stormed his hideout, rescuing Bello and four other victims in the process.

    “Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect has been terrorizing communities in Biu, He has been on the police wanted list,” he said.

    He further stated that the command had already transferred the suspect to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.

  • ‘Give my son second chance,’ father of kidnap kingpin, Evans begs Govt

    ‘Give my son second chance,’ father of kidnap kingpin, Evans begs Govt

    Father of the billionaire kidnapper and drug trafficker recently arrested by the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Chukwudi Dumeme Onwuamadike, otherwise known as Evans, Stephen Onwuamadike, has pleaded with the police to forgive his son as he was misled into a life of crime by his mother.

    The older Onwuamadike who lamented that he did not know that his son was living in ill-gotten affluence in Lagos while he wallowed in poverty in the village, said he was shocked when he saw his son being paraded on the television after his arrest.

    The old man said the last time he saw Evans was in 2008 and had warned him to desist from crime and had no idea that his son had come into so much wealth albeit acquired illegally.

    Onwuamadike who lives in his country home at Akammili, Umudim, Nnewi Local Government Area of Anambra State, made these fresh statements in an interview with New Telegraph said that he tried his best to raise Evans by sending him to the best schools around but insisted that it was when his mother left him when he was three-years-old, that she started manipulating him which culminated into his becoming a crime kingpin.

    In the interaction, the father said he used to be very wealthy but Evans’ mother led to his downfall and she left him with nothing, taking along the young child with her.

    His current wife and her son also accused Evans’ mother of being the person behind Evans’ predicament, painting him as a good and loving son who was only under the influence of his mother.

    “I am begging the Federal Government to forgive Evans and give him another chance. I have not been able to sleep since I received the phone call informing me that my son has been arrested.

    My son is a good boy, but his mother misled him. She manipulated him spiritually. I was devastated when I heard the news through a telephone call; since that call, I had not been able to sleep.

    I believe in a straight forward and honest life. If I noticed someone is not honest, I run away from the person. When my business was thriving, I did business with white people.

    Evans the kidnap kingpin was given an hero’s welcome at the police headquarters.

    I was one of the early millionaires that emerged from this town until things went wrong courtesy of my first wife in 1985. She caused me so many problems and eventually caused my financial ruins.

    In fact, she brought me down to where I am today. I’m suffering and I can barely put food on my table.

    I tried to raise my son well and send to good schools but my estranged wife kept interfering in his academics.

    You won’t believe that my son, Chukwudumeje (Evans) has not visited home since 2008. The last time I saw him was 10 years ago. I asked him the sort of business he was into. He said he was into drug trafficking.

    I advised him to desist because it was an illicit business and the law was against it. I told him plainly that it was better to be involved in a legitimate business and wait for God’s blessings.

    I did good business and it thrived; I was very successful. I have traveled to so many countries of the world in the course of my business.

    His mother started manipulating him when he was only three years old; look at where it has got him. I don’t even have his phone number.

    I’m pleading with the Nigerian authorities to have mercy on him and give him a second chance. He was misdirected and misled by his mother.
    I heard about all the millions, and I said to myself; so I have such manner of a rich son and the roof over my house is leaking? I now survive by selling pigs.”
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    Evans’ stepbrother, Chidolie Onwuamadike who also spoke, said his brother’s ruin was caused by his mother, noting that if Evans had followed their father’s advice, he wouldn’t have become a criminal.

    “As brothers, we don’t even interact at all. I don’t have his number and my heart is pained because he is such a loving, nice guy from the little I know of him.”
    Evans’ mother, Etty Onwuamadike, while speaking, tearfully pleaded with the government to give her son a second chance:
    “Chukwudumeje was a nice boy when he lived with me.

    The only gift I gave him years back was the Holy Bible. I don’t want my son to die. I’m still convinced he will serve God.”