Court slams another sentence on Evans, jails him, accomplice 21 years

The Ikeja Special Offenses Tribunal on Monday sentenced the billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, and his accomplice to 21 years in prison for kidnapping.

Evans is presently serving a life imprisonment sentence after a Lagos High Court in Ikeja sentenced him and two others, Uchenna Amadi and Okuchuwkwu Nwachukwu to life imprisonment.

Evans, and his accomplice Victor Aduba were on Monday found guilty of kidnapping a businessman, Slyvanus Ahamonou and extorting N$420,000 from his family as ransom.

Victor Aduba, an ex-soldier and Evans’ accomplice, was also found guilty on four counts of kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms and equally received a 21-year prison sentence.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo’s ruling stated that the prosecution had successfully proven the charge of kidnapping and gun possession against the defendants.

“It has been established by the prosecution witness (PW3, Ahamonou) that the complainant was kidnapped. The question is who kidnapped him?

“Pw3 identified the first defendant in court while he was giving his testimony. He also recognized him at the police station nearly two months before the matter was taken to court.

“He testified that he was blindfolded before taken to the bus. He said “Immediately I saw him, I said this was the person that kidnapped me”. I also watched the video where the first defendant admitted to have kidnapped pw3.

Read also:Court sentences Evans co-defendant to five years in prison for sale of firearms

“The first defendant sat in a comfortable chair and there was no sign that he made the statement under duress.

”He was not threatened or harassed. He signed the statement.

“He also said how he broke into banks and later graduated to kidnapping. I am satisfied that this court can convict the defendants through his confessional statement,” Taiwo said.

The judge also held that there was no proof before the court that three of the Evans men were killed by the police.

She also convicted Aduba, based on his confessional statement and held that he should serve out his term without an option of fine.

“I have considered the allocutus of the defence counsel. This sentencing will serve as deterrent to others.

“The two are hereby sentenced to five year jail term for first count, second count, 21 years and third count, five years.

“The sentencing will however, run concurrently. They are hereby sentenced to 21 years imprisonment without an option of fine.,” Taiwo said.

The first defence counsel, Mr Amobi Nzelu, in his allocutus, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that the convict was already serving a life jail term.

“I pray the court to grant him a lesser jail term,” Amobi said.

On December 17, 2021, Ahamonou and his wife Chimebere virtually testified about how Evans and his crew abducted him on June 23, 2014, on Kara Road off Osolo Way, in the Ajao Estate neighborhood of Lagos.

The couple described how they tried to raise the original $2 million ransom sought by Evans by selling homes, borrowing money, and soliciting donations from family and well-wishers.

Sylvanus was held captive for two months with his hands and legs shackled; he was only freed when his family supposedly paid Evans $420,000 in ransom and he was close to passing away.

Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Ikeja High Court had on Feb. 25 sentenced Evans to life imprisonment for the kidnap of Mr Donatius Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

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