By Christopher Oji and Lukman Olabiyi
Suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, aka Evans, will today be arraigned at the Lagos High Court in one of the 10 cases against him bordering on murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and other crimes.
This is coming at a time the fundamental human rights suit he filed against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, and three others, has been adjourned till September 5, 2017.
A police source revealed that investigation into crimes committed by Evans and members of his gang had been concluded, ahead of the 90 days remand order granted by the Federal High Court.
He said with this, the police would arraign Evan and other members of his gang in 10 consolidated cases in Lagos and four in Edo State.
According to him, today’s charge against Evan would centre around the abduction of Mr. Donatus Dunu, from who the suspect collected N150 million ransom.
The case, it was gathered, comes up at the Ikeja High Court Court 18 before Justice Oshodi.
A competent police source told Daily Sun: “Evans and 15 of his gang members have so far been arrested and are facing 14 substantive cases (10 in Lagos and four in Edo State) carrying 52 charges of multiple murders, armed robberies, kidnappings, unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition etc.
“The cases were filed by the Force Legal Department and Lagos State Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) before the Lagos State High court, Federal High Court and Edo State High court Benin.
“Wednesday (today) case is one of the 14 cases Evans and five of his gang members, who participated in Mr. Donatus Dunu’s kidnapping will be arraigned. The remaining 13 cases relating to 13 more victims and other gang members of Evans not yet arraigned will come up on subsequent dates that the respective High Courts and Federal High Courts will schedule in Lagos and Edo states.”
Commenting on Evans’ planned arraignment, an authoritative police sources told Daily Sun: “You know that we asked the court to give us three months to conclude our investigation on him and the court granted us the request. Well, we have concluded our investigation and we are arraigning him on August 30, 2017 (today).”
When contacted, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olamide Famous-Cole, confirmed that Evans would be arraigned today.
In a related development, Justice Abdul-Azeez Anka of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has fixed September 5 to deliver judgment in the N300 million suit Evans slammed on the IGP and others, challenging his continued detention, following fresh application filed by the police boss and the Nigeria Police.
The court had earlier fixed yesterday for the ruling, but when the case came up, the lawyer representing the IGP and the police, David Igbodo, while drawing the court’s attention to the application, said his clients deserved to be heard before any judgment was delivered in the matter.
According to him, one of the reasons for bringing the application was to urge the court to nullify the submissions of Henry Obiazi, who appeared for both the IGP and police on August 16, 2017, when the matter was fixed for judgment. He said the lawyer was not authorised by either the IGP or the police to represent them in court.
The lawyer, however, asked the court to set aside the ruling delivered at the last hearing when the matter was fixed for judgment without hearing the IGP and the police.
While urging the court to allow him move the application, Igbodo said other respondents in the matter had been served but the applicant rejected service.
In his response, Evans’ lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, expressed his opposition to the hearing of the application, saying it was intended to arrest the court’s judgment.
He also faulted claims by Igbodo that he evaded service of the application on him.
According to him, there is nothing before the court anymore after parties have canvassed arguments and a date for judgment fixed. Ogungbeje’s opposition was, however, overruled by the judge on the ground that there was proof that he actually evaded service.
Hearing of the application has been fixed for September 5, 2017.
Evans was arrested three months ago by the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at Magodo area of the state.
He had been declared wanted for over five years for alleged high profile kidnapping including that of schoold children, and a famous pharmasist.
He was said to have demanded N500 million ransom and threaten to killed the pharmacist if the money was not paid.
“A senior police officer described Evans of the most briliant and notorious high profile kidnapper.”