Court Sentences Evans To Life Imprisonment For Kidnapping Bizman

Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja yesterday convicted and sentenced kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, also known as, Evans, and two others to life imprisonment for conspiracy and kidnapping.

Justice Oshodi handed down the verdict after he found Evans, who is also known as the billionaire kidnapper, guilty of a two-count charge of kidnapping the managing director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Dunu.

Others convicted alongside Evans are Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu.

The judge held that the prosecution had succeeded in proving the charge against the three convicts beyond a reasonable doubt.

In reaching his verdict, the judge further held that he observed the demeanor of the witness, saying, “He showed no remorse in the dock and tried to lie his way out of the crimes despite the video evidence.’’

The judge noted that in some of the confessional videos exhibits played in court, Evans mentioned some of the other defendants and the roles they played in the crime.

Justice Oshodi said, “He was seen freely laughing and willingly answered questions. A close look at his body shows no sign of torture. He did not look unkempt. He was seen laughing even when he was told that he must be a rich kidnapper.

“In court, he alleged that the recordings were staged, this is an afterthought and a ploy to escape Justice.

“I, therefore, found the first, second, and fourth defendants guilty of the charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping and they are convicted as charged,” he held.

However, the court discharged and acquitted Ogechi Uchechukw and two former soldiers of the Nigerian Army, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.

After the court judgment, the defence lawyers pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy by giving the convicts a second chance.

According to him, they have demonstrated remorse and were first-time offenders.

But the judge disagreed with the defence lawyers that the convicts had shown remorse, saying they were unrepentant and they comfortably lied to the court.

Justice Oshodi, therefore, held that the law must be applied to send the right message to the public that crime does not pay.

The state had claimed that the convicts committed the alleged offence between February 14 and April 12, 2017.

The judge is, however, yet to sentence the convicts as the proceedings are still ongoing.

Evans is also facing similar charges before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo and Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the same court.