The proposed criminal trial of suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans was yesterday stalled due to the absence of the trial Judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo at an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos. It was learnt that the Judge went on an official duty with the Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Opeyemi Oke.
The matter was however adjourned till June 16 for continuation of trial. It would be recalled that at the last proceeding, two Compact Disks (CDs) showing video recordings of Evans confessing to his crimes were shown in court. In the video, Evans confessed to the kidnap of several victims and armed robbery, within and outside Lagos State.
The clips from the videos were displayed during the testimony of a witness, Inspector Idowu Haruna by the prosecuting counsel, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Titi Shitta-Bey.
Evans, as seen in the video, was smiling occasionally as he narrated his escapades in several bank robberies and kidnappings. Evans said that the ransoms he collected fell in the range of $250,000 to $1million, depending on the personality of the victim
Read Also:
In the video, Evans gave details of his family background, how he ran away from home, went into armed robbery and later kidnapping. While giving evidence, Haruna said that Evans, during interrogation, gave names and information about the people he had kidnapped in Lagos and in other states.
Haruna said: “He confessed that on June 28, 2014, at Saka Street, Amuwo-Odofin in Lagos, he was armed with an Ak47 gun and kidnapped Mr Sylvanus Ahanonu, taking him to their hideout in a commercial bus. After holding the victim for nine weeks, they contacted his family and demanded for $2million. We negotiated with his family and they agreed to pay $420,000. The money was paid by instalments.”
Haruna stated further that after Sylvanus regained his freedom, he gave a statement to the police, his wife Mrs Chinyemere Ahanonu, who negotiated his release and his brother Dominic Ahanonu, who dropped off the ransom all volunteered statements.
Meanwhile, Evans is standing trial alongside a co-defendant, Victor Aduba for four-counts of kidnapping of Sylvanus Ahanonu Afia and for unlawful possession of firearms. Evans is also standing trial before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court.
