The Lagos State Government has once again dragged Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, infamously known as Evans, before the Lagos High Court in Ikeja, this time on charges related to the murder of two police officers.
This latest development adds to a string of legal battles for the convicted billionaire kidnap kingpin, who remains embroiled in multiple criminal cases across various judicial benches.
Evans, alongside his alleged accomplice, Joseph Emeka, was presented before Justice Adenike Coker on a five-count indictment, encompassing murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
Both defendants, standing before the court, entered pleas of not guilty. With the plea stage concluded, the lead prosecutor, Yusuf Sule, formally requested the court to set a date for the commencement of trial.
In a procedural inquiry, Justice Coker sought clarification regarding the status of Evans’ plea bargain application. In response, Sule informed the court that the matter remained under the purview of a specialized state government
committee, tasked with reviewing the request.
Taking the floor, Evans’ lead counsel, Chief Emefo Etudo, disclosed that he had recently assumed legal representation for the defendant and that his primary objective was to negotiate a plea bargain rather than engage in full-scale
litigation.
Chief Etudo elaborated that the plea deal submission covered three outstanding criminal cases, with two additional requests based on compassionate considerations.
In a rather unexpected revelation, Etudo highlighted Evans’ academic strides while in detention, stating that the convict had secured a Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and harbored ambitions of pursuing a doctorate (PhD)
in the future.
The defense attorney further implored the Lagos State Government to extend an olive branch to his client, arguing that Evans could be rehabilitated and leveraged as a mentor to dissuade young Nigerians from crime.
Justice Coker acknowledged receipt of Evans’ plea bargain application and set March 20 as the next hearing date, during which the court is expected to review the committee’s final report on the request.
The Lagos State Government has pursued multiple criminal prosecutions against Evans, lodging no fewer than five separate cases before different High Court justices.
In February 2022, **Justice Hakeem Oshodi sentenced Evans to life imprisonment for orchestrating the kidnapping of Donatus Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Months later, in September 2022, another High Court judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo (now retired), handed Evans a 21-year prison term for abducting businessman Sylvanus Ahamonu and extorting $420,000 in ransom from his family.
Despite these convictions, Evans’ legal battles are far from over, with at least three additional cases still pending adjudication—one of which forms the crux of this current prosecution.
