Court gives Evans ultimatum to get legal representative
The trial of Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, suspected kidnap kingpin better known as Evans, was stalled on Friday due to a fire incident.
At the Ikeja special offences court in Lagos, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, the presiding judge, announced that there was a fire incident which affected the transportation of the defendants.
“I was informed by the officer in charge of legal (OC) that there was fire incident which affected the transportation of the defendants,” she said.
“For security reasons, the defendants cannot be present in court.”
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The judge then adjourned the case till July 25 for continuation of trial.
Evans was charged alongside Chiemeka Arinze, Joseph Ikenna Emeka and Udeme Frank Upong, on a seven-count charge of murder, conspiracy to kidnap and selling of firearms.
They were alleged to have attempted the kidnapping of Vincent Obianodo, chairman of the Young Shall Grow Motors, and killed one Ngozi Chijioke in the process.
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The defendants had pleaded not guilty to a seven-count charge.
Arinze died of AIDS in November 2021, while Udeme was sentenced to five years imprisonment on March 11 after pleading guilty to selling firearms.
In a related case, Hakeem Oshodi, an Ikeja high court judge, had convicted Evans and two others on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping.
They were found guilty of kidnapping Donatus Dunu, chief executive officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
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According to the prosecution, they allegedly kidnapped Dunu in Lagos on February 14, 2017, and collected £223,000 (N100 million) as ransom from his family.
On February 25, the duo were sentenced to life imprisonment.
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