MURDER CHARGE: ABSENCE OF EVANS’ COUNSEL STALLS PROCEEDING
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The re-arraignment of convicted billionaire kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, commonly known as Evans, before Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, has been delayed due to the absence of his attorney.
Justice Coker questioned Evans, the defendant, about his attorney when the case was heard in court on Thursday.
“I’m not sure if my lawyer is coming,” Evans said simply.
Evans was scheduled to be re-arraigned before the court on an amended five-count allegation of murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit a felony, specifically kidnapping and attempted murder, together with his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka.
When Justice Coker asked the counsel to the second defendant, Nelson Onyejaka, about Evans’s lawyer, Onyejaka explained to the court, “My Lord I tried his number and it’s not going. Even this morning I tried his number and he is not based in Lagos.”
The State Prosecutor, Yusuf Sule, then told the judge that the matter for the day was supposed to be for re-arraignment, but owing to the absence of the first defendant’s counsel, he asked the court to grant an adjournment.
Sule said, “It’s been a trend from the onset. From the beginning of the institution of this matter, the first defendant is the one who has been delaying this matter.
“It’s high time he gets a lawyer in Lagos or brief another lawyer to stand in for him so the matter can go on.”
Sule added that the matter is a 2017 matter and also told the court that the defendant applied for a plea bargain but he doesn’t know if he is still interested in going on with it.
After his submissions, Justice Coker ordered the prosecution to ensure that the Office of the Public Defender, OPD, is on the ground on the next date of adjournment.
The judge said, “OPD can represent the first defendant if his counsel is not present in court because the arraignment must go on at the next date of adjournment”.
The judge adjourned the case to January 30, 2025, for re-arraignment and ordered the first defendant to ask his lawyer to be in court on the adjourned date.
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