Convicted kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans was on Thursday re-arraigned on a five count charge of murder and kidnapping, before Justice Adenike Coker of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.
But, the defendant said he has repented and is pushing for a plea bargain.
This is the third kidnapping related case being brought against Evans by the state government.
In February 2022, an Ikeja High Court Judge, Hakeem Oshodi, sentenced Mr Evans to life imprisonment for the kidnap of Donatus Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
In September 2022, another judge of the High Court, Oluwatoyin Taiwo ( now retired), sentenced Evans to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping a businessman, Sylvanus Ahamonu, and collecting $420,000 as ransom from his family.
Evans is being prosecuted in three other charges, one of which is this present case. He and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, are charged with the alleged offences of the murders of two persons, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
Both defendants entered not guilty pleas to the five counts against them when they were re-arraigned on Thursday.
Yusuf Sule, the prosecutor, requested a trial date from the court. In response to the judge’s request for a report on the defendant’s plea bargain application, he stated that the second defendant is also pursuing a plea deal and that the case is presently before the state government-appointed committee.
In his response, Evans’ lead defence counsel, Emefo Etudo, said he newly took up the case to represent the first defendant and that his primary focus is to pursue the plea bargain request and not a trial.
He added that Evans recently bagged a Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) while in custody and is willing to further his education to the level of PhD,
According to him, Evans has purged himself of the crimes and is asking the Lagos state government for a second chance so that he can help in counselling the youth against crime.
