Evans
Justice Adedayo Akintoye of a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, has ordered the suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans), to get for himself a counsel or he might be forced to appoint a legal aid for him.
The judge’s order followed the absence of the defence counsel, Mr. Chino Obiagwu (SAN), who had on three consecutive occasions avoided proceedings for the defendant.
Similarly, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of a Special Offences Court, Ikeja, had on March 29, 2019 ordered Evans to defend himself or appoint a legal aid for him following the absence of his counsel in court to represent him.At the hearing yesterday, Evans was not represented and there was no letter to the court to explain the reason for his counsel’s absence.
But Evans told the court that the last time he spoke with him, he told him that he would appear on the next sitting.The prosecution counsel, Mr. Gbadebo Osuala, therefore prayed the court to invoke Section 233 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), which empowers the court to appoint a counsel for the defendant.
The trial judge, therefore, ordered Evans to ensure he gets a legal representative before the next adjourned date.He said: “If your lawyers don’t want to appear, we cannot force them. You have three options, you can get another lawyer to represent you or the court can appoint one for you or you can defend yourself. This is last day I will give you to get a lawyer.”He subsequently adjourned further hearing in the suit to May 17, 2019.
