Over four years after he was arraigned on two separate kidnapping-related charges before Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Igbosere High Court, Lagos, convicted “billionaire kidnapper” Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans is set for re-arraignment before another judge.
Evans alongside Joseph Emeka, Victor Aduba and Okapara Linus will on January 26, be brought before Justice Sherifat Sonaike of the Lagos State High Court, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).
The cases are expected to start de novo (anew) after both case files were transferred from Justice Akintoye to the new judge.
The Nation learnt that Justice Akintoye, before whom Evans and co were arraigned in May 2018, is winding down her cases ahead of retirement.
Justice Sonaike fixed the date yesterday following the absence of Evans’ lawyer as well as that of the third and fourth defendants’ counsel.
When the case was called yesterday for the re-arraignment of Evans and others, prosecution counsel Mr. M.O. Olateju announced an appearance for the prosecution while Mr Osho appeared for the 2nd defendant.
The alleged kidnap kingpin was arrested on June 10, 2017.
Evans was in 2018 arraigned before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court for kidnapping the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Donatus Dunu on February 14, 2017, and collecting 223,000 Euros as ransom from his family
Justice Oshodi, on February 25, 2022, found Evans and two others guilty of kidnapping.
He sentenced Evans to life imprisonment.
Evans was also arraigned for kidnapping before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of Igbosere High Court, in Lagos island before the judge was transferred to the Ikeja division.
He and his co-defendant Victor Aduba were accused of conspiring and kidnapping Sylvanus Ahanonu Hafia at about 5:30 pm on June 23, 2014, at Kara Street, Amuwo Odofin in Lagos and were alleged to have captured and detained Hafia and demanded a ransom of $2m.
Justice Taiwo on September 19, 2022, sentenced the duo to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping Hafia.
