BY GRACE ANYANWU – Following frequent changing of defence lawyers, Justice Hakeem Oshodi of Ikeja High Court on Friday ruled that kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans, will have to defend himself in his criminal trial if he fails to come to court at the next hearing without legal representation.
At Friday’s court proceeding, Justice Oshodi observed that Evans had so far changed his defence counsel four times during trial, an action the trial judge noted has slowed the pace of proceedings.
Evans, who is the first defendant in the case of kidnapping, told the court that his lawyer left adding that his people have gone to approach Okpara’s chamber.
Justice Oshodi therefore ruled that if Evans is not represented at the next adjourned date, he will have to conduct his defence himself, saying; “the first defendant has himself changed counsel four times during proceedings.
Four defence counsel that included Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, Mr Noel Brown and Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku have so far appeared for Evans during the course of the trial of kidnapping and conspiracy.
“The first defendant should take this as a warning. This is my ruling on this matter,” Justice Oshodi so ruled.
During the proceedings in which the defendants were to open their defence, Evans was the only defendant among the six standing trial that has no legal representation.
Upon enquiry by Justice Oshodi, Evans said that his defence counsel had stopped representing him in court.
According to him; “My former lawyer is no longer appearing in this matter. My people have gone to the chambers of Victor Okpara to represent me,” Evans said.
However, counsel to Evan’s five co-defendants told the court that he had filed no-case submissions for the defendants and served copies of the court processes to the prosecution.
The state prosecutor, Mr Adebayo Haroun, confirmed receipt of copies of the no-case submissions and said that the prosecution will file their response on March 16.
Evans is standing trial with Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba over alleged kidnap of Mr Donatius Dunu, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Ltd.
The accused were arraigned in court on August 30, 2017 on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping.
The prosecution counsel said the defendants kidnapped Dunu along Ilupeju Road, Lagos on February 14, 2017 and collected 223,000 Euros (N100m) as ransom from his family.
Duru was still allegedly held captive by the defendants on the excuse that his family had finished paying the additional demanded ransom when he was able to escape from captivity and reported to the police.
Four witnesses including Dunu have so far testified in the trial on behalf of the prosecution and on January 10, the prosecution closed its case against the six defendants.
The case has been adjourned till April 3, 2020 for hearing of the no-case submissions of the other five defendants.
