JUST IN: Court sentences billionaire kidnapper, Evans, two others to life imprisonment

A Lagos High court on Friday convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike aka Evans, and two others for conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru.

The court presided by over by Hakeem Oshodi found them guilty of the crime and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

Six years after he was arrested by the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Team, the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, on Friday, sentenced and convicted billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as, Evans, to life imprisonment.

Evans was convicted alongside two of his accomplices, Uchenna Amadi and Okuchuwkwu Nwachukwu, by Justice Hakeem Oshodi, on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping of a Lagos businessman, Donatus Duru, the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

While delivering judgement, Justice Oshodi said the prosecution had successfully proven the charges against the three convicts beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Oshodi held that he observed the demeanour of the principal suspect, 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.

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Drawing upon the video evidence presented in court by the prosecution, the judge concluded that the evidence tendered before him corroborated the convicts’ guilt.

“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 showed no remorse in the dock and tried to lie his way out of the crimes despite the video evidence,” Justice Oshodi said.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted two dismissed soldiers, Victor Aduba and Chilaka Ifeanyi, as well as Amadi’s wife, Ogechi Uchechukwu, who were also standing trial, for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.

Evans and the other accused were charged to court in August 2017, by the Lagos State government following his celebrated arrest by the IRT team led by DCP Abba Kyari at his Magodo GRA mansion, for allegedly kidnapping Dunu, on February 14, 2017.

The prosecuting counsel told the court that on April 12, 2017, Evans and the other five defendants while armed with guns and other weapons captured, detained and collected a ransom of 223,000 euros from Dunu for his release.

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