Absence of Judge delays Evans trial

On Monday, the scheduledtrialof alleged kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans, at an Ikeja HighCourt,was delayed due to the absence of the judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo.

Our news correspondent learnt from a court official, who pleaded anonymity,that Justice Taiwo was on an official assignment with JusticeOpeyemi Oke, the Chief Judge of Lagos State.

However, the case was adjourned until June 16 for a continuation of trial.Evans is facing trial alongside Victor Aduba on a four-count charge bordering on kidnappingand unlawful possession of firearms.They are accused of kidnapping Mr. Sylvanus Ahamonu, holding him hostage for at least nine weeks and collecting a ransom of 420,000 dollars from hisfamily.

During the last court proceedings on March 14, the videos of Evans confessing to committing crimes of kidnapping and armed robbery within and outside Lagos were shown in court.

The footage in two compact discs was aired during the testimony of Inspector Idowu Haruna, a member of the Police Intelligence Response Team.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.He could be seen smiling and telling the policeman about his daytime and nighttime armed robberies of banks as well as his kidnap escapades where ransom ranging from 250,000 dollars to one million dollars were received from his victims.

He could be heard giving details of his family background, how he ran away from home and embarked on a life of crime.Evans is also facing trialfor two other kidnappingcases at the Ikeja High Court.

They are being tried for the attempted kidnap of Chief Vincent Obianodo,the CEO of the Young Shall Grow Motors also before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, whilethe case of alleged kidnap of Mr. Donatius Dunu, the CEO of Maydon Pharmaceuticals is before Justice Hakeem Oshodi.