By John Ikani
An Ikeja High Court has sentenced billionaire kidnap kingpin, Evans, and two others, Uchenna Amadi and Okuchuwkwu Nwachukwu to life imprisonment for conspiracy and kidnapping.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi handed out the sentence to the trio on Friday after convicting them on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru.
The judge held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charge against the three convicts beyond a reasonable doubt.
He concluded that the evidence tendered before the court especially their video confessions corroborated their guilt.
The judge, however, discharged and acquitted the other co-defendants, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, an ex-soldier; and Victor Aduba, also an ex-soldier.
He held that there was no evidence linking them to the crimes.
Who is Evans?
Born Chukwudi Onuamadike in Nnewi Anambra State, Evans, also known as “billionaire kidnapper” was arrested in Lagos State in June 2017 by the operatives of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).
Before his arrest, the “most wanted, vicious and highly notorious” kidnapper had been linked with several high-profile kidnapping cases in the country, with his victims including foreign nationals, traditional chiefs and wealthy businessmen.
Police report established that Evans usually operated with two separate gangs to conduct kidnappings: one to carry out the abduction and another to transfer the victim to a safe house.
In August 2017, he was arraigned before a judge of the Ikeja High Court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping alongside five others: Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba over the alleged kidnap of Donatus Dunu, Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Ltd.
He pleaded guilty to the offence and was remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Prison by the court with trial facing myriad adjournments since then.
On January 22, 2021, the notorious kidnapper who is a first defendant in the case made a U-turn and denied bearing Evans as his nickname, saying he is just a businessman forced by the police to sign “confession.”
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court in March 2021, gave the prosecution in the trial of Evans a “last chance to put its house in order” as the case continues to be delayed.
Evans’ last appearance in court was in June 2021 when his trial was stalled because his lawyer said the kidnapper’s witness “could no longer be reached via phone.”
