The Lagos State Government has re-arraigned notorious kidnap suspect, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, on fresh charges related to the alleged killing of two police officers.
Appearing on Monday before Justice A.O. Ogala of the Lagos State High Court, Evans was arraigned alongside co-defendant Joseph Emeka on a five-count charge involving murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Both men pleaded not guilty.
The charges stem from a 2013 incident in the Festac area of Lagos, where the duo is accused of murdering officers Peter Nweke and Chijioke Ngozi. They are also facing charges over the attempted abduction of Vincent Obianodo, chairman of Young Shall Grow Motors.
Before being reassigned to Justice Ogala, the case had been handled by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, who retired from the bench. At one point, Evans reportedly attempted to enter a plea bargain with the prosecution, though this did not materialize.
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Both defendants remain in custody at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, where they are serving sentences related to other kidnapping cases.
Evans is currently facing multiple trials in different Lagos courts for a series of high-profile kidnappings. In February 2022, he was convicted by Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Ikeja High Court, alongside two others, for the kidnapping of Donatus Dunu, CEO of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
According to the prosecution, the gang abducted Dunu on February 14, 2017, and collected £223,000 (approximately N100 million) in ransom. Evans and his accomplices were sentenced to life imprisonment on February 25, 2022.
