The Lagos State Government is set to re-arraign convicted kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, on amended charges including murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. This development follows previous legal proceedings where Evans faced multiple charges related to his kidnapping activities.
In a recent court session before Justice Adenike Coker of the Lagos High Court in Ikeja, the re-arraignment was stalled due to the absence of Evans’s legal counsel. When questioned by the judge, Evans indicated uncertainty about his lawyer’s attendance, stating, “I’m not sure if my lawyer is coming.” The counsel for the co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, attempted to contact Evans’s lawyer but was unsuccessful, noting that the lawyer does not reside in Lagos.
This is not the first time Evans’s re-arraignment has faced delays. In previous instances, proceedings were postponed due to similar issues, including the absence of legal representation. The prosecution has also indicated that Evans and his co-defendant have applied for a plea bargain, with terms currently under consideration by the Attorney-General of Lagos State.
Evans was initially arrested in June 2017 and has since been involved in multiple legal battles concerning his alleged criminal activities. The upcoming re-arraignment signifies the state’s ongoing efforts to address the severity of the charges against him and ensure that justice is served.
The court has yet to announce a new date for the re-arraignment, pending the resolution of the issues surrounding Evans’s legal representation. The Lagos State Government remains committed to pursuing the case to its conclusion.
