Court Sentences Kidnapper Evans, Two Others To Life Imprisonment

The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has sentenced kidnap the kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike also popularly known as Evans and two others, Uchenna Amadi and Okuchuwkwu Nwachukwu, to life imprisonment. Justice Hakeem Oshodi handed out the sentence to the trio on the Friday also after convicting them on two counts of

conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru, the MD of the Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited. In convicting the trio, Justice Oshodi then held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charge against them beyond a reasonable doubt. In reaching his verdict on Evans, the judge held the observed the demeanour

of the witness, stating that in some of the confessional videos played in court, Evans had mentioned some of the other defendants and the roles they played in the crime. He showed no remorse in the dock and tried to lie his way out of the crimes despite the video evidence, 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 is seen laughing even when he was told that he must be a rich kidnapper. He also concluded that the evidence tendered before the court especially video confessions corroborated their guilt. The court then discharged and

acquitted Ogechi Uchechukwu and two former soldiers of the Nigerian Army, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba, for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime. The Lagos State government had arraigned Evans alongside Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba

for kidnapping the Managing Director of the Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Dunu, on February 14, 2017. The state had also claimed that the convicts committed the alleged offence between February 14 and April 12, 2017. The prosecution had further told the court that the incident took place at about 7;45 pm, along Obokun Street, in the Ilupeju area of Lagos.