Evans, kidnap kingpin bags life imprisonment

The kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, has been sentenced  to life imprisonment  by the Ikeja High Court in Lagos State  for the kidnap of Donatus Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited.

Penpushing reports that, also sentenced on Friday alongside Evans include two of the co-defendants, Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu for the same offences, while other co-defendants , Ogechi Uchechukwu; Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba were  discharged and acquitted as there was no evidence linking them to the crimes.

The Judge, Justice Hakeem Oshodi while sentencing the convicts said  they did not show any remorse for their crimes and had tried to  lie their way out of the charges  during the trial,noting that,the Kidnapping Prohibition Law of Lagos State prescribed a mandatory life sentence for any individual found guilty of kidnapping.

“A lesson must be taught. In this respect, the law is the law that must be upheld. The first, second and fourth defendants- Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a Evans, Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, are each hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.This is the sentence of the court,” he said.

Penpushing further reports that, it is recalled that, the defendants were arraigned before  the court on August 31, 2017, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping, while the prosecutor to the court that Evans and his gang kidnapped Duru  on February 14, 2016, on Obokun Street, Ilupeju Road, Lagos. .

The prosecutor said the victim was shackled and blindfolded during his 88-day ordeal, and the convicts collected 223,000 euros as ransom from his family for his release, and during the case the prosecutor presented four witnesses including Duru, who was the victim.

Penpushing also reports that, it is recalled that the prosecution closed its case on January 10, 2020, while the defence closed its case on August 3, 2021, after the six defendants and Evans’s sister, Ndubuisi Obiechina, testified.