KIDNAPPER EVANS CHANGED HIS PLEA TO 'NOT GUILTY'

Suspected kidnap kingpin, Evans has pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and Kidnapping of one Dunu Donatus an offence allegedly committed in February  2017.



Evans had earlier pleaded guilty to the two-count charge at his arraignment on August 30, 2017. The court reconvened at 11.45am today and the amended charges have been read to all six defendants and they all pleaded “not guilty”.



The Prosecution has indicated their readiness to proceed with the trial. They have three witnesses in court to testify.



The suspect was arraigned alongside five others; Uche Amadi, Ogechi Izechuwku, Okechukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Chukwunonso.



Following the plea of all six defendants, the Attorney General of Lagos State, Adeniji Kazeem, who led the prosecution, asked for a trial date and for all defendants to be remanded in prison custody.

With this, the Lagos State Government has amended the charges it filed against Evans and the five others. The Director of Public Prosecution, DPP Lagos State, Titilayo Shitta-Bey told Justice Hakeem Oshodi that the amendment relates only to the punishment section for the second charge.


The DPP also submitted that there is no material change in the nature of the offence which still remains conspiracy and the kidnap of one Dunu Donatus.

PRISON BREAK: HOW EVANS PLOTTED TO ESCAPE BY OFFERING POLICE GUARD $100,000

Chukwudubem Onwuamadike, alias Evans,an alleged kidnapping suspect, plotted to escape from police custody before his arraignment in court, it was learnt at the weekend.

A source spoke of Evans’ plan to give between $50,000  and $100,000 to one of the guards manning his cell to facilitate his escape.

The source said Evans was allegedly coordinating his escape bid with some members of his gang by telephone which he obtained through “suspicious” means.

It was learnt that intelligence officers and IGP’s Special Tactical Squad detected his plot.

The source said: “When Evans was in our custody, he tried to escape but we were able to abort all his plans. We discovered that he had access to phones which were hidden in the middle of loaves of bread, eba, semovita and so on.

“He was making calls from these smuggled phones in the middle of the night, making arrangements with some yet to be identified members of his gang to arrange for his escape.

“We intercepted how he was luring one of the guards with about  $50,000 to $100,000. He wanted an insider to serve as informant to him and members of his gang.”


It is important to note that after months of hide and seek, Evans was arrested by  police on June 10 at No. 3, Fred Shoboyede, Magodo, Lagos. He is standing trial before an Ikeja High Court for alleged conspiracy and kidnapping alongside five other accused persons namely: Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba.


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