New Telegraph

Court orders Evans co-defendants to answer charges against them

Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos yesterday ruled that the co-defendants of an alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (aka Evans), must answer to the criminal charges of kidnapping brought against them. Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba, over the alleged kidnap of Donatius Dunu, who is the chief executive officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Ltd. The six defendants were arraigned on August 30, 2017 on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping.

While ruling on a no-case submission filed by four out of the six defendants, Justice Oshodi said that there is substantial evidence before the court, especially the confessional statements of the defendants, which require them to open their defence. Evans’ co-defendants, except the second defendant (Uche Amadi), had earlier filed a no-case submission seeking the court to dismiss the charges against them. However, Evans new lawyer, Oyekunle A. Falabi, urged the court for an adjournment in order to familiarize himself with the details of the matter.

He asked the court for time to study the facts of his client’s case and grant him another date for continuation of trial. But expressing his displeasure with Falabi’s request, the judge said that many lawyers have represented Evans in the past and had abandoned the matter half way. Justice Oshodi said to Evan’s lawyer, “You, Oyekunle Falabi, must therefore sign an undertaken that you will follow this matter to its conclusion.”

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