Drama In Court As Judge Finally Issues Powerful Order To Evans, Kidnap Kingpin

Justice At Last ? Drama In Court As Judge Finally Issues Powerful Order To Evans, Kidnap Kingpin

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An Ikeja High Court presided by Justice Hakeem Oshodi has ordered Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike alias Evans and three other defendants to find legal representation latest by June 14.

Evans who is being tried together with Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba, over the kidnap of Mr Donatius Dunu,  the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Limited,

The reliable news platform known as News Agency of Nigeria report that the six suspects were arraigned on  August 30, 2017 over two counts charge of conspiracy and kidnapping. According to the prosecution, Mr Dontatius Dunu was kidnapped by the kidnapping syndicate and a whooping sum of  223,000 Euros (N100m) was collected as ransom. Both Evans and his co-defendants pleaded not guilty to the crimes leveled against them.

At the resumption of the trial on Thursday, proceeding was stalled due to the absence of defence counsel for Evans, Amadi, Uchechukwu and Ifeanyi.
During the resumption of the trial on Thursday, the court proceedings was stalled because of the absence of Amadi, Uchechukwu and Ifeanyi who are the defence counsel.

This development necessitated the trial judge, Justice Oshodi to mandate the suspects to make sure they produce legal representation by June 14 which is the next day for the trial.
The judge also directed that the counsel  from the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) must be in court on the next day of the trial 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.

During the commencement of the trial, Mr Emmanuel Ochai, the defence counsel who is representing Aduba, the sixth defendant inform the court that another kidnap trial involving Evans was stalled in another court of competent jurisdiction because of lack of representation.
“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 disclosed.

The counsel to the 5th defendant (Nwachukwu), Mr A. A Uzokwu,  also made the same complaint to the court stating that they were ready to proceed with the trial but they were limited by the lack of counsel of the other defendant.
“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”.

In his reaction to the continue absence of the defence counsel Mr Y.G Oshoala, a   Director in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), asked the court to appoint counsel on its own 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 disclosed.
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