Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans, was sentenced to 21 years in prison by an Ikeja Special Offenses Court for kidnapping businessman Slyvanus Ahamonou and demanding $420,000 in ransom from his family.
Victor Aduba, an ex-soldier and Evans’ accomplice, was also given a 21-year prison term.
The two were charged with four counts, including unauthorized possession of firearms and kidnapping, at their arraignment.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo’s ruling stated that the prosecution had successfully proven the charge of kidnapping and gun possession against the defendants.
“It has been established by the prosecution witness and main complainant, Ahamonou was kidnapped. The question is who kidnapped him?
“Pw3 (Ahamonu) identified the first defendant in court while he was giving his testimony. He also recognized him at the police station nearly two months before the matter was taken to court.
“He testified that he was blindfolded before he was taken to the bus. He said: “Immediately I saw him, I said this was the person that kidnapped me’ I also watched the video where the first defendant admitted to have kidnapped PW3.
“The first defendant sat in a comfortable chair and there was no sign that he made the statement under duress.
”He was not threatened or harassed. He signed the statement.
“He also said how he broke into banks and later graduated to kidnapping.”
Justice Taiwo declared that she was certain her court could find the defendants guilty based on his confessional statement.
Additionally, the judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the claim that three of the Evans men were slain by police.
Aduba was found guilty by Justice Taiwo based on his confessional statement and was ordered to complete his sentence without the option of paying a fine.
When making her decisions, Justice Taiwo claimed to have taken the defense attorney’s allocutus into account. This sentence will discourage others from doing the same thing.
“The two are sentenced to five-year jail term on first count, second count, 21 years and third count, five years.
“The sentences will, however, run concurrently. It will serve as deterrence to others,” she said.
Counsel to first defendant, Amobi Nzelu, in his allocutus, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that the convict was already serving a life jail term.
“I pray the court to grant him a lesser jail term,” Amobi said.
The second defence counsel, Mrs Adeola Folarin, in her allocutus, also prayed the court to temper justice with mercy as the convict was a first offender.
“My lord, he is a young man that has served his country while in the army.
“He also had a child while he was in custody. He is a father of two young children and they have not enjoyed his fatherly love. We pray the court to temper justice with mercy,” Folarin said.
The state counsel, Mr Yusuf Sule, however, urged the court to convict the defendants as charged.
“My lord, the first defendant had been sentenced to life imprisonment before Justice Hakeem Oshodi. I urge the court to sentence the defendants accordingly,” Sule said.
On December 17, 2021, Ahamonou and his wife Chimebere virtually testified about how Evans and his crew abducted him on June 23, 2014, on Kara Road off of Osolo Way, in the Ajao Estate neighborhood of Lagos.
The couple explained to the court how they attempted to raise the original $2 million ransom sought by Evans by selling their assets, borrowing money, and soliciting donations from family and well-wishers.
Sylvanus was held captive for two months with his hands and legs shackled; he was only freed when his family supposedly paid Evans $420,000 in ransom and he was close to passing away.
