Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Friday sentenced the man popularly known as billionaire kidnapper or Evans, and his accomplices – Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu to life imprisonment.
Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, aka Evans, and two others, have been declared guilty of kidnapping and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Friday sentenced the man popularly known as billionaire kidnapper or Evans, and his accomplices – Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu to life imprisonment.
The Ikeja High Court premises in Lagos were under tight security as the judge gave the verdict.
The court found them guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping of Mr Donatius Dunu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
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Donatus Dunu was kidnapped on February 14, 2017, and a ransom of €223,000 was collected from his family.
The judge, however, discharged and acquitted the other co-defendants: Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, formerly a soldier; and Victor Aduba, also an ex-soldier.
The court said there was no evidence linking them to the crimes.
According to a report, Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja high court on Friday sentenced Billionaire Kidnapper, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, otherwise known as Evans, and two others for conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru.
Justice Oshodi found Evans and others guilty of a two-count charge of kidnapping the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Dunu.
Others sentenced to life inprisonment alongside Evans are Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu.
The judge held that the prosecution had successfully proven the charge against the three convicts beyond a reasonable doubt.
He concluded that the evidence tendered before the court especially the videos evidence collaborated the guilty of the convicts.
Justice Oshodi however discharged and acquitted Ogechi Uchechukw and two former soldiers of the Nigerian Army, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.
The court noted the allocutors of the defence counsels Olarewaju Ajanaku, H.O. Ajibola that the convicts are first time offenders, are remorseful and learnt their lessons.
The judge however disagreed with the defence lawyers that the convicts have shown remorse.
He held that they are unrepentant and they comfortably lied to the court.
The trial judge also noted the submission of the former DPP, Ms Titi Shitta-Bey that ìn view of the gravity of the offence and that kidnapping has been on the rise, that maximun sentence be imposed to serve as deterrence to others.
Justice Oshodi held that the defendants have not shown any remorse going by the video shown in court.
“I believe a lesson must be taught to serve as deterrence to others.
“The Law is the Law. Section 411 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (ACJL) 2015 must be applied to send the right message to the public that crime does not pay.
He further held, “under the section 411 of the law on which the convicts were arraigned, the penalty for the offence of kidnapping is life imprisonment and the law does not give the court any discretion in the matter.
“I hereby sentenced the three convicts, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu to life imprisonment.”
Recalled that the Lagos State government had arraigned the convicts before the court on August 30, 2017 Section 155 subsection 1 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2017, carries life imprisonment.
The prosecution closed its case against the defendants on January 10, 2020, after presenting four witnesses, including Dunu while the defence closed its case on August 3, 2020, after the six defendants testified.
Evans is also facing similar charges before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo and Justice Adedayo Akintoye of a Lagos State High court.
