Evans Ready To Plea Guilty to Attempted Kidnapping Allegations- Lawyer

October 25, 2019

Alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, as known as Evans, on Friday told a Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja that he is ready to enter into a plea bargain arragnment with the state government.

Evans, who made the revelation through his counsel, Richard Eke, is standing trial before the court over the attempted kidnapping a leading transporter in Lagos, Chief Vincent Obianodo , chairman of Young Shall Grow Motors Ltd.

Eke announced Evans’ plea bargain plans after a Lagos State Counsel, Ms Olayinka Akudo told the court that Ubong (fourth defendant) had filed a plea bargain application.

“We received a plea bargain application on behalf of the fourth defendant dated October 24, which is yesterday and we received same yesterday,” Akudo said.

Responding Eke said that “the development (the fourth defendant’s plea bargain) came from us and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will be hearing from us.

“We also have the intention to also file a plea bargain on behalf of the first defendant (Evans),” he said.

Mr A.B. Josiah, Defence Counsel to Arinze (third defendant), told the court that Ubong’s proposed plea bargain agreement “does not affect his client.

“We have no problem with the third defendant’s plea bargain agreement,” Josiah said.

Arinze and Ubong had no legal representation in court.

The proceedings for Evans’ two criminal trials– the attempted kidnap of Obianodo and the kidnap of Mr Sylvanus Ahamonu, which were scheduled to hold on Friday were stalled, due to the absence of Inspector Idowu the Investigating Police Officer (IPO).

Explaining Idowu’s absence, the prosecutor, Akudo said, “Unfortunately we do not have our witness in court. He is outside jurisdiction.

“My lord, we will definitely do the needful during the next adjourned date,” he said.

However, the development did not go down well with Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, who said, “your witnesses have not been coming to court. This witness is the IPO and he hasn’t finished his testimony.

“There are other witnesses in this case. If the IPO is unavailable, you can call other witnesses for this trial.”

In the Obianodo case, Evans and his three co-defendants are facing a seven-count charge of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, attempt to kidnap and sales and transfer of firearms.

According to the prosecution, Evans, Emeka, Arinze and Ubong committed the offences on August 27, 2013, at Third Avenue in Festac Town, Lagos.

Evans and his accomplices are alleged to have killed one Ngozi Chijioke and attempted to kidnap and kill Obianodo.

The prosecution also alleged that in 2008, Ubong sold and transferred two AK47 rifles and 70 rounds of live ammunition to Evans.

In the Ahamonu case, Evans and his co-defendant, Victor Aduba, a dismissed member of the Nigerian Army face a four-count charge of kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.

Evans and the dismissed soldier are accused of kidnapping Ahamonu, holding him hostage for at least nine weeks and collecting a ransom of 420,000 dollars from his family.

Justice Taiwo adjourned both cases to December 9 for continuation of trial.