Alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, yesterday, denied the allegation of kidnapping leveled against him before a Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos State.
Testifying before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo,
Evans denied kidnapping a businessman, Sylvanus Ahamonu and collecting a $420,000 ransom from his family.
Evans is standing trial alongside an ex-soldier, Victor Aduba, on a four-count charge of kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.
While being cross-examined by the state prosecutor, Mr. Yusuf Sule, Evans told the court that he was born on April 22, 1980, and hails from Nnewi, Anambra State. He vehemently denied knowing Ahamonu prior to seeing him after his arrest.
When Sule noted that Ahamonu had identified him when he testified virtually (via the Zoom app) in court, Evans said he was easily identifiable.
He said: “Ahamonu and Idowu Haruna (the Investigating Police Officer) could have conspired with the police. My pictures are everywhere, all over the world. Before my picture was everywhere, people knew who I was. I had a haulage and logistics business with over 30 staff and drivers in Amuwo-Odofin.”
The alleged kidnap kingpin told the court that he did not mention haulage and logistics business in his statement because the police wrote it. “I did not provide medical documents proving alleged torture by the police to the court,” he added.
He added that while being incarcerated, he had filed a fundamental human rights suit against the police over the alleged torture at the Federal High Court, Lagos. He also explained why he was seen in a jovial mood in the confessional video played in the court when the prosecution presented its case.
Evans told court that he was forced to act in that manner by the police.
“The police told me to be laughing and smiling in the video. You do not know what I encountered in the hands of Abba Kyari and his boys. My eyes saw hell. It was what they told me to be doing that I was doing,” he added.
Earlier when the case was called, Evans, in his defence, said he did not know Ahamonu.
Led by the defence counsel, Ms O.N Sonuga, he said: “I do not know Slyvanus Ahamonu; I only met him in the IG Guest House at Falomo.
“One day at the IG Guest House, the police brought some documents and asked me to sign. I asked what the documents were for; they didn’t answer me. They said that if I didn’t cooperate with them they would kill me.
“When I refused, Inspector Philip asked them to take me to the back of the guest house. When I got there, they were pressing cigarette butts on my body.
“I saw those people I was paraded with in Ikeja. They said I would use my eye to see what would happen to those people and nothing would happen, that it was better I signed those documents.
“They killed about six persons in my presence and I signed the document. I was not allowed to read it. I think it is the document that was used to bring me to court. I do not know anything about the allegations before this court. I don’t know who Ahamonu is. I only met him at the IG Guest House. I had not had any prior contact with him.”
Evans also told the court that the police discovered no firearms in his home. Sylvanus and his wife, Chimebere, had on December 17, 2021, testified virtually about how Evans and his gang kidnapped him on June 23, 2014, on Kara Road off Osolo Way, Ajao Estate, Lagos.
The couple narrated to the court how they sold properties and borrowed money from family and well wishers to raise the initial $2 million ransom that was demanded by Evans.
Sylvanus, whose hands and legs were chained throughout his two-months in cavity, was only released when the family had allegedly given Evans $420,000 ransom and was at the point of death. The trial judge adjourned further trial to March 11, 2022.
