Just In: Notorious kidnapper Evans opts for plea bargain

Notorious kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans), and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, have opted for plea bargain agreement.

The duo was charged with murder and attempted kidnap before an Ikeja high court.

Their re-arraignment was stalled on Thursday  due to absence of Evans’s counsel, but lead state counsel, Mr Yusuf Sule, informed the court that the defendants had  applied for plea bargain.

Sule said  that  the plea bargain option was being considered by the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN).

Justice Adenike Coker adjourned the case until June 13 for re-arraignment of  Evans and Emeka.

Coker also directed Evans to ensure  availability of his counsel in court on June 13.

“In view of the absence of counsel to the first  defendant, this  case is hereby adjourned until June 13, and the first  defendant is directed  to ensure  his counsel is in court.

“There is  no excuse for his absence.

“In the light of the amendment charge before the court, the case against the third and the fourth defendants are strucked out,” the judge said.

Evans and Emeka were to be re-arraigned on an amended five-count charge of murder, conspiracy to commit  murder, conspiracy to commit  kidnapping, kidnapping  and attempted murder.

Counsel to the  second  defendant, Mr Nelson Onyejaka, was in court.

Sule told the court that he spoke with  Evans’s counsel concerning the case and he did not know why he was not in court.

” I am aware that the defendants have applied  for plea bargain but it is being considered by the attorney-general.

“We have  an amended charge, my lord,  because the fourth defendant has been convicted while the third defendant died in prison.

“We shall be asking for another  date for re-arraignment of the  defendants,” Sule said.

In February 2022, Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja high court sentenced Evans to life imprisonment for the kidnap of Chief Donatus Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

In September 2022, another judge of the court, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, also  Evans to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping a businessman Slyvanus Ahamonu and collecting $420,000 as ransom from his family.

NAN