COURT ADJOURNS EVANS’ PLEA BARGAIN HEARING TO FEBRUARY 2025
Read Time:1 Minute, 31 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
A Lagos High Court, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), has adjourned the hearing of the plea bargain application for convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onuwuamadike, also known as Evans, and three other co-defendants, Joseph Emeka, Victor Aduba, and Okapara Linus, to February 20, 2025.
The adjournment followed the submission of counsel in the criminal case marked LD/5960C/2017, indicating that the plea bargain agreement for Evans is still awaiting a response from the Lagos State Attorney General’s office. The prosecution, represented by M.F. Salau, informed the court that the application is pending and that they have not yet received a response, while also noting the absence of a witness in court for the trial.
In response, Mary Ibezue, the counsel for the second defendant, revealed that she had submitted a letter to the Attorney General requesting the withdrawal of the plea bargain for her client, and had filed a new application solely for the second defendant. Ibezue further clarified that she had previously represented Evans, the first defendant, but he had requested a change of counsel, which she agreed to.
Ibezue requested a short adjournment, emphasizing that the plea bargain application should not hinder the continuation of the trial. Justice Sherifat Sonaike confirmed that the case would not be struck out and stated that the trial would continue with further adjournments if necessary.
The counsel for the third and fourth defendants also agreed to the adjournment date.
Justice Sonaike however, set the next hearing for February 20, 2025, to review the plea bargain requests and continue the trial.
Evans, alongside the three others are before Justice Sherifat Sonaike in two separate charges for their case to start de novo after the case file was transferred from Justice Adedayo Akintoye, who was the initial trial judge.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0