THE Lagos State Government prosecution team on Wednesday showed
portions of two Video recordings showing alleged kidnap kingpin,
Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans confessing to committing
crimes of kidnapping and armed robbery.
In the video which was played before an Ikeja High Court, and
marked as an exhibit, Evans confessed to carrying out operations
within and outside Lagos.
In the video, Evans was seen casually smiling and answering
qquestions thrownto him by Inspector Idowu Haruna. Evans is
standing trial alongside Victor Aduba on four-counts of kidnapping
and unlawful possession of firearms.
The videos were played on the insistence of the Director of
Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey who sought to
tender the two Compact Discs (CD) containing the confessions as
evidence.
The videos which were projected on the wall of the courtroom
showed Evans wearing a red T-shirt, seated on a leather sofa in a
room and confessing his ‘crimes’ to Haruna.
Evans gave graphic details about his daytime and nighttime armed
robberies of banks as well as his kidnapping escapades.
He even ‘claimed’ that he collected ransoms ranging from
$250,000 to $1million from his victims.
Haruna, who is the prosecution’s first witness before Justice
Oluwatoyin Taiwo in his witness said he is a policeman with
14-years experience in the Nigerian Police Force.
“I’m a member of the Inspector General of Police, Intelligence
Response Team, I know the defendants from when they were arrested
for the kidnap of one person in Feb. 14, 2017.
“That victim was taken to their hideout in Igando, Lagos and
kept there for a month till he escaped from the hideout.
“Through covert operations, we arrested Evans and during
interrogations he mentioned Victor Aduba.
“The first defendant (Evans) gave us information about the
people he had kidnapped in Lagos and in other states.
“He confessed that on June 28, 2014, at Saka St., Amuwo-Odofin
in Lagos, he was armed with an Ak47 gun and he kidnapped Mr
Sylvanus Ahamonu, and took him to their hideout in a danfo bus.
“After holding the victim for nine weeks, they contacted his
family demanding $2million with the family agreeing to pay
$420,000.
“The family paid the $420,000 instalmentally.
“After Sylvanus regained his freedom, he gave a statement to the
police, his wife Mrs Chinyemere Ahamonu who negotiated his release
and his brother Dominic Ahamonu who dropped off the ransome all
volunteered statements.
“The first defendant (Evans) was cautioned in English language
and his statement recorded by our video recorder which took records
of the interview.
“He was taken to DSP Phillip a superior officer and his
statement was recorded,” he said.
The statements of Sylvanus, Chinyemere and Dominic were tendered
in evidence in court by the DPP and the CD containing the
confessions of Evans played in the courtroom.
Responding to the request by the DPP to admit the CDs into
evidence, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, Evans defence counsel requested for
time to study the recordings and compare the copy of the CD served
on them with what was played in court.
“My Lord we will be requesting for time to call our technical
experts to examine the CD played in court today as well as the
certificate of identification served on us in open court,” he
said.
Earlier during proceedings Ogungbeje had brought an application
challenging the amended charge, according to him, the additional
evidence was insufficient to sustain the charge.
Dismissing Ogungbeje’s application, Justice Taiwo had in a
ruling, said the application lacked merit.
The judge thereafter adjourned the case till April 23 and 27 for
further hearing.
THE Lagos State Government prosecution team on Wednesday showed
portions of two Video recordings showing alleged kidnap kingpin,
Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans confessing to committing
crimes of kidnapping and armed robbery.
In the video which was played before an Ikeja High Court, and
marked as an exhibit, Evans confessed to carrying out operations
within and outside Lagos.
In the video, Evans was seen casually smiling and answering
qquestions thrownto him by Inspector Idowu Haruna. Evans is
standing trial alongside Victor Aduba on four-counts of kidnapping
and unlawful possession of firearms.
The videos were played on the insistence of the Director of
Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey who sought to
tender the two Compact Discs (CD) containing the confessions as
evidence.
The videos which were projected on the wall of the courtroom
showed Evans wearing a red T-shirt, seated on a leather sofa in a
room and confessing his ‘crimes’ to Haruna.
Evans gave graphic details about his daytime and nighttime armed
robberies of banks as well as his kidnapping escapades.
He even ‘claimed’ that he collected ransoms ranging from
$250,000 to $1million from his victims.
Haruna, who is the prosecution’s first witness before Justice
Oluwatoyin Taiwo in his witness said he is a policeman with
14-years experience in the Nigerian Police Force.
“I’m a member of the Inspector General of Police, Intelligence
Response Team, I know the defendants from when they were arrested
for the kidnap of one person in Feb. 14, 2017.
“That victim was taken to their hideout in Igando, Lagos and
kept there for a month till he escaped from the hideout.
“Through covert operations, we arrested Evans and during
interrogations he mentioned Victor Aduba.
“The first defendant (Evans) gave us information about the
people he had kidnapped in Lagos and in other states.
“He confessed that on June 28, 2014, at Saka St., Amuwo-Odofin
in Lagos, he was armed with an Ak47 gun and he kidnapped Mr
Sylvanus Ahamonu, and took him to their hideout in a danfo bus.
“After holding the victim for nine weeks, they contacted his
family demanding $2million with the family agreeing to pay
$420,000.
“The family paid the $420,000 instalmentally.
“After Sylvanus regained his freedom, he gave a statement to the
police, his wife Mrs Chinyemere Ahamonu who negotiated his release
and his brother Dominic Ahamonu who dropped off the ransome all
volunteered statements.
“The first defendant (Evans) was cautioned in English language
and his statement recorded by our video recorder which took records
of the interview.
“He was taken to DSP Phillip a superior officer and his
statement was recorded,” he said.
The statements of Sylvanus, Chinyemere and Dominic were tendered
in evidence in court by the DPP and the CD containing the
confessions of Evans played in the courtroom.
Responding to the request by the DPP to admit the CDs into
evidence, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, Evans defence counsel requested for
time to study the recordings and compare the copy of the CD served
on them with what was played in court.
“My Lord we will be requesting for time to call our technical
experts to examine the CD played in court today as well as the
certificate of identification served on us in open court,” he
said.
Earlier during proceedings Ogungbeje had brought an application
challenging the amended charge, according to him, the additional
evidence was insufficient to sustain the charge.
Dismissing Ogungbeje’s application, Justice Taiwo had in a
ruling, said the application lacked merit.
The judge thereafter adjourned the case till April 23 and 27 for
further hearing.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/court-views-videos-of-evans-confessing-to-his-crimes/