Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, has
admitted in evidence the confessional statements of two
co-defendants of alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike,
alias Evans, over the alleged kidnap of Dunu, Chief Executive
Officer, Maydon Pharmaceutical Limited.
Ruling on trial-within-trial held on the admissibility of their
confessional statements, Justice Oshodi held that they were not
obtained under duress or tortured during the process of obtaining
statement as claimed by them.
The trial judge held that defence counsel of Chilaka Ifeanyi
(fourth defendant) and Victor Aduba, fourth and sixth defendants
respectively, did not provide sufficient proof to the court that
they were coerced into giving the statements.
Evans is standing trial alongside five accomplices; Uche Amadi,
Okechukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Victor Chukwunonso Aduba and
a woman, Ogechi Uchechukwu.
They were arraigned on August 30, 2017 on a two count charge of
conspiracy and kidnapping of the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon
Pharmaceutical Limited, Donatus Dunu before Justice Oshodi
They were alleged to have collected 223,000 Euro (N100m) as
ransom from his family.
“None of the defendants have been able to provide any evidence
to suggest any sign of diuresis during this processing.
“The fact is that the fourth and sixth defence counsels, Mr
Olanrewaju Ajanaoku and O. Emmanuel respectively, did not raise the
issue of a gun being pointed to the heads of their clients nor the
issue of a broken finger during the cross examination of the
prosecution witness, and this leads to the conclusion that these
speculations were an afterthought.
“The statement of the fourth defendant will be marked as Exhibit
8 and 8a while the statement of sixth defendant is marked as
Exhibit 9,” the judge ruled.
In reaction to the ruling of the court, the state prosecutor,
Yakubu D. Osuala, thereafter asked the court for an adjournment for
continuation of trial.
The matter was further adjourned till January 10, 2020 for
continuation of trial.
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Sowore of
Sahara Reporters, AAC Presidential Candidate
No Person Has Come to Pick Sowore- DSS
Spokesperson
The Department of State Services (DSS) wishes to confirm that it
has received the Court Order for the release of Omoyele SOWORE.
It is important that the public notes that since the receipt of
the Order, no person has turned up at the DSS to take delivery of
him. This becomes imperative for reasons of accountability.
However, the Court has been properly briefed on this development
and the steps being taken to ensure compliance with its Order.
The Service, under the leadership of Yusuf Magaji Bichi (fwc),
as the Director General, is not a lawless organization and will
never obstruct justice or disobey Court Orders. It, therefore,
affirms that it will do all that is needful once the appropriate
processes have been concluded.
Peter Afunanya, Ph.D
Public Relations Officer,
Department of State Services,
National Headquarters,
Abuja