Crime
High Court Convicts Evans, Others
The victim is the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans on a two-count of conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru.
The victim is the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi on Friday convicted Evans alongside two of his co-defendants, Uchenna Amadi and Okuchuwkwu Nwachukwu.
The judge held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charge against the three convicts beyond a reasonable doubt.
He concluded that the evidence tendered before the court especially their video confessions corroborated their guilt.
The court 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 allegedly kidnapping the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Dunu February 14, 2017.
The state had 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.
The prosecuting told the court that on April 12, Evans alongside the other five defendants while armed with guns and other weapons captured, detained and collected a ransom of 223,000 Euros from Donatus for his release.
The Lagos State government subsequently arraigned the defendants before the court in August 2017.
In all, the prosecution presented four witnesses, including the victim, Dunu while the defence presented 6 witnesses including Evans who testified in his own defence.
As of the time of this report, Justice Oshodi is 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.