Five years after they were arraigned in court, an Ikeja High Court presided by Justice Hakeem Oshodi has sentenced the kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, and two others to life imprisonment for the offences of conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru in Lagos.
Those found guilty and sentenced for the offences of kidnap and conspiracy alongside Evans are Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu.
Justice Oshodi found Evans and others guilty of a two-count charge of kidnapping the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Duru.
In his judgement, Justice Oshodi held that the prosecution had successed in proving the charge against the three convicts beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court held that the prosecution proved their case in evidence tendered before the court, especially the video evidences, which he said corroborated the offences to earn them the guilt verdict.
In a twist, the court, however, discharged and acquitted three other co-accused persons, Ogechi Uchechukwu and two former soldiers of the Nigerian Army, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba, for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crimes.
Though, the court listened to the allocutors made by the lawyers to the convicts, it, however, disagreed that the convicts have shown remorse. The judge held that they are unrepentant and they comfortably lied to the court.
The trial judge also noted the submission of thẹ former DPP, Ms Titi Shitta-Bey, that ìn view of the gravity of the offence and that kidnapping has been on the rise, that maximun sentence bẹ imposed to serve as deterrence to others.
Justice Oshodi held that the defendants have not shown any remorse going by the video shown ìn court.
“I believe a lesson must be taught to serve as deterrence to others.
“The Law is the Law. Section 411 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (ACJL) 2015 must be applied to send the right message to the public that crime does not pay.
He further held, “under Section 411 of the law on which the convicts were arraigned, the penalty for the offence of kidnapping is life imprisonment and the law does not give the court any discretion in the matter.
“I, hereby, sentenced the three convicts, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu to life imprisonment”.
