Kidnap Kingpin, Evans Re-Arraigned, Changes Plea

Guilt-racked kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans, yesterday, made a U-turn as he entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ as he was re-arraigned on a two-count amended charge of conspiracy and kidnapping at an Ikeja High Court in Lagos.
Evans had at his arraignment on August 30, pleaded guilty to the charges, while other alleged accomplices — Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, the only female defendant, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba denied committing the offences.
Our source reports that they were charged with the kidnap of Mr Donatius Duru on August 30.
The punishment section in the second count of amended charge was changed from Section 271 (3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State to Section 2(1) of the Kidnap Prohibition Law of the Laws of Lagos 2017.
According to the prosecution led by Ms. P.K. Shitta-bey, the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Evans and his accomplices committed the offence of conspiracy at 7.45 p.m. on February 14 on Obokun Street, Ilupeju, Lagos.
The prosecution said the accused between February 14 and April 12 at Obokun Street, Ilupeju, while armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, captured and detained Duru.
The accused allegedly collected a ransom of €223,000 for the release of Donatius.
Before the amended charges were read to the accused, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, the counsel to Evans and Amadi had opposed the reading of the charges to them.
“On behalf of the first and second accused, we were served with the amended charge this morning.
“My Lord, we had earlier filed an application and the learned prosecutor also filed us a counter-affidavit, My Lord, grant us a very short date to `confer’ with the first and second accused about this amended charge.
“We intend bringing a motion after their plea, I urge your Lordship to grant us a very short date,” Ogungbeje pleaded.
Counsel to Uchechukwu, Mr Joseph Otogbolu, counsel to Ifeanyi, Mr A.A Uzokwu, and counsel to Aduba, Mr Emmanuel Ochai, all aligned with the submission of Ogungbeje and asked for an adjournment to ‘confer’ with the defendants.
However, counsel to Nwachukwu, Mr O. Ajanaku, did not oppose the reading of the amended charge to the accused.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the case until November 3 to enable the defence to prepare for trial.