MURDER CHARGE: EVANS’ ABSENCE STALLS COURT HEARING

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The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has deferred the arraignment and plea bargain of convicted kidnapping mastermind Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, often known as Evans, till November 21st.

Following Evans’ and his counsel’s absence in court, Justice Adenike Coker delayed the proceedings.

The prosecution and the Lagos State Government were also missing.

Evans and his co-defendant, Joseph Emekam, face an upgraded five-count charge of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit a felony, namely kidnapping and attempted murder.

At the court’s last hearing on May 11, prosecution attorney Yusuf Sule informed the judge that the defendants had agreed to a plea bargain.

He further stated that the plea bargain terms were being evaluated by Lagos State’s Attorney-General, Lawal Pedro (SAN).

When the case was called on Thursday, the lawyer for Evans’s co-defendant, Nelson Onyejaka, who was present in court, informed the judge that he was astonished that the prosecution and the first defendant’s attorney were not there.

He said, “I do not know whether they are aware that the case is coming up today.

“But we are still going on with the plea bargain my lord.”

Justice Coker ordered that a production warrant be issued for the defendants’ arraignment on November 21. She also asked for a report on the plea bargaining outcome.

In addition to this lawsuit, Evans has two other matters pending before Justices Serifat Sonaike and Ibironke Harrison of the Lagos High Court.

In February 2022, Justice Hakeem Oshodi sentenced him to life in jail for kidnapping Donatus Dunu, the CEO of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

In September 2022, another judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, sentenced Evans to 21 years in prison for kidnapping a businessman, Slyvanus Ahamonu, and demanding $420,000 in ransom from his family.

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