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  • Court orders Evans, 3 others to get legal representative by June 14

    Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court has ordered alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike alias Evans and three other defendants to ensure they have legal representation by June 14.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba over the alleged kidnap of the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Limited, Mr Donatius Dunu.

    NAN reports that the six were arraigned on Aug. 30, 2017 on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping. According to the prosecution, they allegedly kidnapped Dunu and collected 223,000 Euros (N100m) as ransom.Evans and his co-defendants had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

    At resumption of the trial on Thursday, proceeding was stalled due to the absence of defence counsel for Evans, Amadi, Uchechukwu and Ifeanyi.

    Following the development, Justice Oshodi mandated Evans and the three other defendants to ensure they have legal representation by June 14, the next adjourned date.

    The judge also directed that counsel from the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) be in court on the next adjourned date to represent the defendants in case they failed to get counsel to represent them in court.

    “If on the next day, the defence counsel are not around, the courts will order the defendants to either represent themselves or the court invokes Section 233(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.

    “The prosecution shall also notify the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) to be in court on the next adjourned date.
    “This case is adjourned to June 14 for the continuation of the evidence of PW4,” Justice Oshodi said.

    Earlier during proceedings, Mr Emmanuel Ochai, the defence counsel representing Aduba (sixth defendant), told the court that other kidnap trials involving Evans have been stalled in other courts for the same reason.

    “We were before your learned brother yesterday at the High Court in Igbosere and we had the same issue.

    “Due to the absence of the counsel to the first (Evans) and fourth (Ifeanyi) defendants here, the matter was stalled.

    “I really do not know why there is no legal representation but we as counsel to the sixth defendant (Aduba) are ready to proceed,” Ochai said.

    Read Also: Court gives Evans till May 17 to get lawyer 

    Mr A. A Uzokwu, the counsel to the fifth defendant (Nwachukwu), also told the court that they were ready to proceed but was handicapped because of the absence of the other defence counsel.

    “What is happening now is like they are like a stationary vehicle, some of us are behind and that stationary vehicle and because it is not moving, we cannot move,” he said.

    When asked why he had no legal representation Evans told the court “I did not communicate with him.

    Amadi, Uchechukwu and Ifeanyi also told the court that they had not communicated with their defence counsel.

    Reacting to the absence of the defence counsels for the first to fourth defendants, Mr Y.G Oshoala a Director in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) asked the court to appoint counsel for the defendants.

    “My Lord, yesterday we were before your learned brother Justice Akintoye at the Igbosere High Court.

    “The case was adjourned and that was the third adjournment granted by that court at the instance of the first defendant (Evans).

    “It is a game they are playing and I pray the court assist the state and invoke Section 233(3) of the ACJL which allows the court to appoint counsel for the defendants in these circumstances.

    “We brought our witness from out of jurisdiction or if the defendants so wish, they can defend themselves, it is their constitutional right,” Oshoala said.

    A policeman and the fourth prosecuting witness, Insp Idowu Haruna, was in court to testify in the proceedings that was eventually stalled.

  • Updated: Court gives Evans last chance to get lawyer by May 17

    An Igboseree High Court, Lagos Wednesday gave suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans, till May 17 to get a counsel to defend the criminal charges against him.

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye told Evans, whose case has suffered three adjournments following his failure to secure legal representation, that he had only three options.

    He could defend himself, get a new counsel or the court would appoint a legal aid counsel for him, Justice Adedayo said.

    The judge gave the warning following the third consecutive absence of Evans’ counsel, Chino Obiagwu (SAN).

    At the last sitting on March 1, Obiagwu did not make an appearance but sent a letter informing Justice Akintoye of his absence.

    No member of Evans’ legal team, Including Olanrewaju Ajanaku, was present.

    Acknowledging his letter, the judge adjourned till yesterday for address by counsel for trial within trial.

    On March 29, an Ikeja High Court also gave Evans one more chance to get a lawyer to defend him in a similar case.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo gave him till May 10, to do so, otherwise he could defend himself or the court would appoint a legal aid counsel for him.

    Wednesday’s adjournment in Igbosere, the third consecutively, followed that of January 31, foisted on the court by the non-appearance of another defence counsel, Emmanuel Ochai, and that of March 1.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Ikenna Emeka, 29, Chiemeka Arinze, 39, Udeme Frank Upong, 43, on a seven-count charge of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to kidnap and selling of firearms.

    At the commencement of yesterday’s proceedings, no member of Evans’ legal team was present.

    There was also no letter to the court to explain their absence.

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    Upon an enquiry from Justice Adedayo, Evans said: “The last time we spoke, he told me that on the next adjournment he will be in court.”

    Judge: “So, he’s not here today?”

    Evans: “Yes.”

    Prosecuting counsel Yhaqub Oshoala prayed the court to invoke Section 233 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) which empowers it to appoint a counsel for the defendant.

    He said: “The provision is that where the defendant fails or is unable to secure a counsel, the court has the discretion to order the legal aid counsel to provide a representation for the defendant.

    “This is the third time this matter is called and the first defendant (Evans) is not represented”.

    Acknowledging his submission, Justice Adedayo turned to Evans and asked: “What exactly is the position? I understand they don’t want to appear for you. Do you want the court to appoint another lawyer for you?”

    Evans shook his head and said: “No, my lord.”

    The judge advised him to ensure that he got a legal representative before the next adjourned date.

    Justice Akintoye said: “If your lawyers don’t want to appear, we cannot force them.
    “You have three options, you can get another lawyer to represent you or the court can appoint one for you or you can defend yourself, which is not advisable.

    “Today is the last chance that I have given, otherwise I will do what I have said. After today, there will be no more adjournment.”

    The judge adjourned till May 17 for continuation of trial.

     

  • Court gives Evans last chance to get a lawyer

    An Ikeja High Court on Friday gave suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans till May 10 to get a counsel to defend the criminal charges against him.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo told Evans, whose case has suffered three adjournments following his failure to secure legal representation, that he had only three options.

    Evans could defend himself, get a new counsel or the court would appoint a legal aid counsel for him, the court said.

    The judge gave the warning following the third consecutive absence of Evans’ lawyer, Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaoku.

    Ajanaoku, who skipped the last proceedings over issues of unpaid legal fees, had earlier informed the court, through a letter, that Evans’ family was yet to perfect their brief, in terms of financial commitment.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Ikenna Emeka, 29, Chiemeka Arinze, 39, Udeme Frank Upong, 43, on a seven-count charge of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to kidnap and selling of firearms.

    At the commencement of Friday’s proceedings, Chief State Prosecution Counsel, Adebayo Haroun, prayed the court to invoke Section 233 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) which empowers the court to appoint a counsel for the defendant.

    Haroun said: “Where the defendant fails to secure legal representation, the court has the discretion to order the legal aid counsel to provide a representation for the first defendant, Evans.

    “This is the third adjournment taken at the instance of the first defendant. So, we urge Your Lordship to invoke Section 233 of the ACJL if the defendant fails to provide a counsel on the next adjournment.”

    The prosecutor also informed the court that his witness, a police officer, Inspector Idowu Haruna, attached to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), was present to resume his evidence.

    Read Also: Court gives Evans last chance to get a lawyer

    Responding, Justice Taiwo warned Evans of the consequences of his failure to get a new counsel.

    Justice Taiwo said, “I have told you (referring to Evans) the options; defend yourself, get a new counsel or I’ll appoint a legal aid counsel for you.

    “This case is not just for you, there are other defendants involved. Therefore, the liberty of the second, third, and fourth defendants, who also demand justice, is also at stake. And justice delayed is justice denied.

    “In the circumstances, I’ll adjourn this matter till May 10 and the first defendant must provide a counsel.

    “However, in the absence of the counsel for the first defendant, on the next adjourned date, this court will invoke Section 233 (3) of the ACJL and order the representation of the legal aid counsel for him,” the judge said.

  • Again, lawyer’s absence stalls Evans’ trial

    For the second time in 30 days, the trial of suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans, failed to go on at a Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Friday, following the absence of a defence counsel.

    Evans’ lawyer, Chino Obiagwu SAN, did not make an appearance but sent a letter informing Justice Adedayo Akintoye of his absence.

    No member of Evans’ legal team, including Olanrewaju Ajanaku, was present.

    Consequently, the judge adjourned till March 22 at 10am for address by counsel for trial within trial.

    The adjournment, the second consecutively, followed that of January 31, foisted on the court by the non-appearance of another defence counsel, Emmanuel Ochai, following which the judge adjourned till yesterday.

    At the commencement of proceedings yesterday, prosecution counsel, Y. G. Oshoala drew the court’s attention to the absence of Evans’ counsel and Ochai’s January 31st abstention.

    “This is not the first time such is happening. The Supreme Court stated that the court is not a slave of time that must wait for a party to come and present his case. We submit that the court cannot wait for them,” Oshoala said.

    He directed the court’s mind to the need to do justice to all parties,” the state, the defendant, the public.”

    But making an order for adjournment, Justice Akintoye said: “I’ve noted your observation. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt because the defence counsel is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). I assume he is not just wasting the time of the court.”

    The judge made the same order in a sister case involving Evans.

    Read Also: Court rejects Evans’ claim of torture by Police

    Evans is facing two separate charges, bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder, before Justice Akintoye.

    In the first charge, he is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

    The four were arraigned last June 26 following the dismissal of Evans’ objection to a five-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping and attempted murder, preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.

    The defendants and others at large allegedly committed the offences on September 7, 2015, at Seventh Avenue, Festac Town, Lagos.

    The allegedly conspired and kidnapped Chief James Uduji, obtained a ransom of $1.2million and shot him on the shoulder while trying to kill him.

    In the second charge, he is joined on trial with Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.

  • Alleged property seizure: Court strikes out Evans’s N1bn suit against police

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday struck out a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwamadike (a.k.a Evans), against the police over seizure of his property.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case.

    She said that the suit ought to have been filed before a Lagos State High Court where the applicant was facing charges of kidnapping.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Evans, through his counsel, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, filed the suit in June 2018 and joined as respondents, the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), the Nigeria Police and I-G’s Intelligence Response Team.

    The applicant prayed the court to declare that alleged forceful seizure of his property by the respondents without any court order was illegal and unconstitutional.

    He listed some of the property as N500 million, another N500 million, two residential houses located at Magodo, Lagos State, a Brigade wristwatch worth 20,000 dollars, necklaces worth 25,000 dollars and five pieces of diamond rings.

    Read Also: Court rejects Evans’ claim of torture by Police

    Also listed are one Lexus 470, a Grand Cherokee, a Toyota Highlander, 85 Samsung television sets, 45KVA generator, 22KVA generator, 20KVA inverter worth N10 million and five sets of freezers.

    The applicant had sought an order compelling the respondents to unconditionally release the property.

    Evans had also asked the court for an order compelling the respondents to unconditionally unseal and vacate without delay, the two residential houses located at Magodo.

    The judge noted that the respondents did not file any defence in spite of being served hearing notices.

    She held that when confronted with a claim under the fundamental rights enforcement procedure, it would be important for the court to critically look at the reliefs sought.

    According to her, the main issue to be decided is whether the plaintiff’s claim constitutes a violation of his rights under the Fundamental Human Rights (Enforcement Procedure), adding that the right to own property cannot be denied except for due process of the law.

    She held that the applicant failed to show that, within the circumstances of his arrest, the property were forcefully seized.

    “The only conclusion I can draw is that the property was taken consequent upon his trial for kidnapping before the Lagos State High Court.

    According to the judge, although federal and state high court had concurrent jurisdiction, the instant case ought to have been taken to the court where the defendant is facing trial for kidnapping.

    “This court must be careful not to interfere with due process of the ongoing trial of the applicant before the Lagos State High Court.

    “This court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain this case; same is hereby struck out,’’ she held.

    NAN reports that other prayers sought by Evans include an order compelling the respondents to apologise to him and pay him N1 billion as damages for the alleged forceful seizure of his property.

    He had also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from taking any action against him or any of his property in relation to this case.

  • Court rejects Evans’ claim of torture by Police

    Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court yesterday told billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, that there was no proof to back his claim of torture by the police.

    The trial judge stated this while ruling in the trial-within-trial conducted on the admissibility of the confessional statement of Evans.

    Justice Oshodi, therefore, admitted in evidence the confessional statement of Evans made to the police  June 11, 2017 after his arrest.

    While admitting the statement, Justice Oshodi emphasized that the 1999 Constitution did not require that statements to the police must be in a specific form.

    He also stated that the video recording containing the confessions of Evans also reflected no proof that Evans was tortured while disclosing details of all his kidnapping activities.

    “In the video, the first defendant asked the investigating police officer to write his statement on his behalf. The first defendant sat on a sofa and after the recording of the statement, the first defendant signed. In the video, the court cannot see any coercion directed at the first defendant.

    “When the witness for the prosecution was cross-examined, he categorically stated that the first defendant was not tortured when his statement was taken,” Justice Oshodi said.

    Justice Oshodi said Evans has not provided any evidence to court to back the allegations of extra- judicial killings he made against the police nor did he provide evidence to indicate any inducement, threat or promise in the trial-within-trial.

    “The court is not unmindful that the first defendant said he was slapped; cigarettes extinguished on his hands and saw people being murdered by the police”, he noted.

    The judge dismissed allegations made by Evans that the police murdered some people.

    He also noted that Evans showed no proof of treatment  for the cigarette burn he claimed to have been inflicted on him by the police.

    “The first defendant did not give any evidence as to the treatment of the injuries he sustained. The first defendant did not contradict any part of the video played. There is no proof that the statement was made involuntarily, the statement is admitted and marked Exhibit B,” he said.

    After the court’s ruling, the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms Titilaya Shitta-Bey, requested for an adjournment due to the absence the fourth prosecution witness, Insp. Idowu Haruna, who she said was injured in an accident and is yet to recover.

    Defence counsel, Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku, did not object to the request for an adjournment.

    Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until February 22 for continuation of the evidence of Haruna and trial.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

    They were arraigned on August 30, 2017 on two counts of conspiracy and kidnap of the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Limited, Donatus Dunu, from whose family they allegedly collected 223,000 Euro (N100m) as ransom.

    Evans and his co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

  • Court rejects Evan’s claim of torture by Police

    Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court on Friday told billionaire kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans that there was no proof to back his claim of torture by the police.

    The trial judge stated this while ruling in the trial-within-trial conducted on the admissibility of the confessional statement of Evans.

    Justice Oshodi, therefore, admitted in evidence the confessional statement of Evans made to the police June 11, 2017 after his arrest.

    While admitting the statement, Justice Oshodi emphasized that the 1999 Constitution did not require that statements to the police must be in a specific form.

    He also stated that the video recording containing the confession of Evans also reflected no proof that Evans was tortured while disclosing details of all his kidnapping activities.

    The judge noted in his ruling that the video tape played in court on October 26 last year, that Evans was cautioned and answered appropriately when asked for his profession.

    He noted that the suspected kidnap kingpin replied with a smile that he was a businessman.

    “In the video the first defendant asked the investigating police officer to write his statement on his behalf, the first defendant sat on a sofa and after the recording of the statement, the first defendant signed. In the video, the court cannot see any coercion directed at the first defendant.

    “When the witness for the prosecution was cross-examined, he categorically stated that the first defendant was not tortured when his statement was taken.”

    Read Also: Evans’ trial stalled as witness gets accident

    Justice Oshodi said Evans has not provided any evidence to court to back the allegations of extrajudicial killings he made against the police nor did he provide evidence to indicate any inducement, threat or promise in the trial-within-trial.

    “The court is not unmindful that the first defendant said he was slapped; cigarettes extinguished on his hands and saw people being murdered by the police”, he noted.

    The judge dismissed allegations made by Evans that the police murdered some people as criminal in nature and that they were not substantiated by the defence.

    He also noted that Evans showed no proof of treatment for the cigarette burn he claimed to have been inflicted on him by the police.

    “The first defendant did not give any evidence as to the treatment of the injuries he sustained. The first defendant did not contradict any part of the video played. There is no proof that the statement was made involuntarily, the statement is admitted and marked Exhibit B,” he said.

    After the court’s ruling, the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms Titilaya Shitta-Bey requested for an adjournment due to the absence of the fourth prosecution witness, Insp. Idowu Haruna who she said was injured in an accident and is yet to recover.

    Defence counsel, Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku, did not object to the request for an adjournment.

    Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until February 22 for continuation of the evidence of Haruna and trial.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

    They were arraigned on August 30, 2017 on two counts of conspiracy and kidnap of the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Limited, Donatus Dunu, from whose family they allegedly collected 223,000 Euro (N100m) as ransom.

    Evans and his co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

  • Kidnapping: Absence of witness stalls Evans’ trial

    The absence of Insp. Idowu Haruna, a witness for the prosecution, stalled the trial of an alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans, on Thursday.

    Evans with others is standing trial for the attempted kidnap of Chief Vincent Obianodo, the Chairman of The Young Shall Grow Motors.

    Other defendants in the matter holding at a Special Offences Court in Ikeja are Joseph Emeka, Chiemeka Arinze and Udeme Upong.

    The defendants are facing a seven-count charge of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, attempt to kidnap and sales and transfer of firearms.

    The prosecution said the defendants committed the offences on Aug. 27, 2013 at Third Avenue., Festac Town, Lagos.

    It said Evans and others allegedly killed Mr Chijioke Ngozi and attempted to kill and kidnap Obianodo.

    The prosecution also alleged that in 2008, Upong sold and transferred two AK47 rifles and 70 rounds of live ammunition to Evans.

    Read Also: Evans: police burned me with cigarette to make me confess

    At Thursday’s sitting, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was to open its case against the defendants with the testimony of Haruna, the first witness.

    Haruna, is a member of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team.

    Explaining the absence of the policeman, Mr Adebayo Haroun, the Lagos State Prosecutor, said that the prosecution witness was involved in a minor accident on his way to court.

    “PW1 is not in court; he sent me a text message that he was involved in a slight accident,” he said.

    Following Haroun’s explanation, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the case until Feb. 6, for trial.

    The judge also ordered that the second and third defendants, who had no legal representative, should ensure that their counsel was in court on the next adjourned date.

  • Evans: police burned me with cigarette to make me confess

    An Igbosere High Court, Lagos, yesterday heard that suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, aka Evans, made confessional statement to the police, under duress.

    Evans told Justice Adedayo Akintoye that he signed papers given to him by the police, so as not to be tortured to death.

    He claimed that members of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), who arrested him in 2017, intimidated him by executing suspected criminals in his presence, before assaulting him.

    Evans is facing two charges bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder, before Justice Akintoye.

    In the first charge, he is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

    In the second charge, he is joined on trial with Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.

    At the resumption of his trial yesterday, Evans alleged that the IGP IRT tortured suspects to death by suffocating them with plastic bags and threatened to do same to him if he failed to cooperate with them.

    He claimed that sheets of paper were brought for him to sign, adding that some of the papers were blank, while others had written content.

    He said: “When I asked what I was to sign, the police officers slapped me and quenched a cigarette on my hand.

    “The officers beat me up and told me that if anything happened to me, no one would know. They hit my head and blood gushed out. The scars are still on my head.

    “When I saw how five men, who were paraded with me were tortured and killed, I agreed to sign the papers because I was afraid.”

    He said the contents of the papers he signed were not read to him and there was no video recording during the statement taking process.

    He testified during a trial-within-a-trial conducted to ascertain whether his statement was admissible or not.

    He was led in evidence by his counsel, Mr. O. I. Ajanaku.

    The defendant was afterwards cross-examined by Lagos State counsel Dr. Jide Martins.

    Justice Akintoye adjourned till January 30.

  • ‘Why kidnap attempt on Young Shall Grow Motors boss by Evans failed’

    An Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos State heard yesterday why an attempt made by suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike aka Evans, on Chief Obianuju Vincent, the chairman of ‘Young Shall Grow Motors’, failed.

    The narration of the botched kidnap attempt was made before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo by Inspector Idowu Haruna, a member of the Special Intelligence Response Unit of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), who told the court that it failed because the defendants were not expecting their victim to go out that night with escorts.

    It was during ‘trial-within-trial’ on the admissibility of the confessional statements of the defendants.

    Evans is standing trial alongside three others, Joseph Emeka, 29, Chiemeka Arinze, 39, and Udeme Upong, 43, on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and murder.

    Evans was represented by Olanrewaju Ajanaku; Emeka and Arinze were represented by Ogedi Ogu, while Upong was represented by A.B. Josiah.

    Led in evidence by the lead prosecution, Adebayo Haroun, Insp. Haruna told the court that he recognised Evans and others during investigation into the botched kidnap attempt and attack on Chief Obianuju.

    He said: “The first defendant, Evans, is the leader of the gang; the second defendant, Emeka, is a member of the kidnap gang; the third defendant did not carry out the operation with them, he surveyed the movement of Chief Obiajunu. The fourth defendant was the one that supplied the first defendant with the AK 47 rifles. He told them the guns were used in communal crisis”.

    Haruna said the attack on Obiajunu was carried out on August 27, 2013 along 3rd Avenue, FESTAC Town, Lagos while returning from where he had gone to play local “draft game” with his friends.

    “During the gun duel between Evans and his men and the escort of “Young Shall Grow Motors’ chairman, he (Chief Obiajunu) was shot in the left arm. One of his escorts, Corporal Ngozi, was shot dead; his driver, Peter Nweke, was shot dead.

    “Three of the kidnappers were shot dead by Inspector Simon, an escort with Chief Obiajunu, while other kidnappers escaped.”

    He said two rifles were recovered by ACP Okoro of the FESTAC Police Command, while the kidnappers went away with other rifles used in the operation.

    Haruna told the court that immediately the matter was reported at the FESTAC Police Command, the first defendant, Evans, was arrested and that he made confessional statement to the police, admitting being the leader of the gang.

    He said the third defendant, Arinze, said he did not know Chief Obiajunu would go out with his escorts the night he was attacked, contrary to the report he gave the gang that he did not move with them whenever he was going to play draft with his friends, adding that that was why they chose that night to attack him.

    Haruna said Evans and co-defendants willingly volunteered their confessional statement and affirmed same before a senior police officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bello, who attested to the statements after they were read to each of them, stressing that they were not coerced nor forced to make and sign the statement.

    Earlier during proceedings, the police denied that activist lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) visited Evans in the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) office.

    Evans had in another kidnap trial before Justice Adedayo Akintoye of Lagos High Court, Igbosere, claimed that he was locked up in the toilet by officers of SARS in Ikeja when Falana visited him.

    But at yesterday’s proceeding, Ekundayo, while under cross examination by Ajanaku, Evan’s counsel, told the court that such incident never happened.

    “Femi Falana never came to our office,” Ekundayo said.

    ”His (Evans) lawyer was not there and none of his relatives was around,” the witness said.

    Justice Taiwo adjourned the case till December 31 for continuation of trial.