Notorious kidnapper, Evans, shocked not a few Wednesday as he owned up to his underworld atrocities.
In court on Wednesday, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike entered guilty plea to the first of the two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping brought against him by the Lagos State government through the police.
Evans was arraigned along with Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, and Victor Aduba on a two count charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping.
According to the government, the suspects had conspired on February 14, at about 7.45pm in Ilupeju, Lagos, to abduct one Donatus Dunu. They later collected €223,000 ransom for his release.
After Evan pleaded guilty to the first charge, there was an incredible silence in court, following which the judge directed the registrar to read out the charge again to the suspect.
Evans repeated the same answer: guilty as charged! He also pleaded guilty to the second charge of kidnapping.
The second defendant, Amadi, also pleaded guilty to the two counts.
Nwachukwu pleaded guilty of conspiracy, but not guilty of kidnapping.
The only female gang member, Uchechukwu; Ifeanyi and Aduba pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi adjourned to October 19 for trial of those who pleaded not guilty, and to look at the evidence for those who pleaded guilty before their conviction and sentencing.
According to the criminal laws of Lagos State, an act of kidnapping attracts life imprisonment while kidnappers whose victims died in their custody get the death penalty.
Ahead of their arraignment, there was heavy security presence around the high court with armed police officers and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) stationed at both entrances to the premises.
Police officers on horsebacks patrolled the grounds while uniformed men with bomb detectors frisked journalists at the entrance of the court room.
By about 9.30 a.m., at least half a dozen police officers marched a clean shaven Evans, sporting a cream shirt on black trousers, and his co-defendants into the courtroom.
The defendants had been in police custody since June 10.
Before their charges were read, counsel to the defendants, Olukoya Ogungbeje, attempted to raise an issue before the court but was shunned by the judge who told him “you can’t control my court; the charges have not been read.”
After the defendants took their pleas, Ogungbeje said he had wanted to inform the judge that he had not been allowed to discuss with his clients before their arraignment.
“We are having the opportunity of meeting with our clients just this morning,” said Ogungbeje, who had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit at a federal court, on behalf of Evans.
“All the defendants have since been in the custody of the police; we have not had the opportunity of conferring with them, this is a capital offence.”
Earlier, the Attorney General of Lagos State, Adeniji Kazeem, had requested that the defendants be remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison before the next adjourned date.
“We apply for the defendants to be remanded in custody and to obtain trial dates for the ones that had pleaded not guilty,” said the lead prosecutor, Kazeem,.
“While those that had pleaded guilty, we can come and lay our statement of facts following which your lordship can adjourn for sentencing.”
While adjourning, the judge ordered that the male defendants be remanded at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison while Uchechukwu be kept at the Kirikiri Female Prison.
After the court proceedings, which lasted about 45 minutes, Evans and the other defendants remained in court for almost two hours before they were taken away in a waiting Prison vehicle.