Co-defendants of alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans) on Friday prayed an Ikeja high court to acquitted and discharge them of charges of conspiracy and kidnapping brought against them by Lagos State Government.
Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba made the prayer via their counsel during adoption of their final written addresses at the conclusion of their trial.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendants are accused of being members of a gang led by Evans which ochestrated the Feb. 14, 2017 kidnap of Mr Donatus Dunu, the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Following the oral submissions of defence counsel, Justice Hakeem Oshodi adjourned the case until Feb. 25, 2022 for judgment.
The judgment will be the first to be passed in all the five kidnapping cases involving Evans, at the moment, in Lagos high courts.
Ms E.B Obogwu, counsel to Amadi (second defendant), told the court that the testimony of Dunu, the alleged kidnap victim, that he could identify Amadi, based solely on recognition of voice, was insufficient.
“My lord, how can someone who was blindfolded for 88 days, while he was in captivity, come back and identify the person in court.
“In view of this, I urge my lord to discharge and acquit the second defendant,” she prayed.
Mr Chris Obiaka, counsel to Uchechukwu, the only female defendant and wife of Amadi (second defendant), said that Dunu, in his evidence-in-chief, never mentioned her name as one of his captors.
“It was her insistence to know where the police officers who came to pick up her husband in Port Harcourt were taking him to, that landed her here.
“The witness (Dunu) never knew the woman. He was blindfolded for 88 days.
“We submit that, based on this argument, we urge my lord to discharge and acquit the third defendant of the two charges,” he said.
Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku, counsel to Ifeanyi (the fourth defendant), argued that prosecution was unable to link the fourth defendant with the alleged crimes.
