Nigerian court sentences billionaire kidnapper, Evans to 21 years in prison

An Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos has convicted Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, a kidnap kingpin better known as Evans, on charges of conspiracy and kidnapping.

This comes a few months after Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos High Court in Ikeja sent him to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping of one Donatius Dunu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Delivering judgement on Monday, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo convicted Evans and his co-defendant, Victor Aduba.

They were both accused of conspiring and kidnapping Sylvanus Ahanonu Hafia around 5:30 pm on June 23, 2014, at Amuwo Odofin in Lagos.

The duo detained Hafia and demanded a ransom of $2 million from his family.

The judge held that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to other aspiring kidnappers.

Evan had earlier told the court that he was tortured and forced by an embattled police officer, Abba Kyari, and “his boys” to admit to being a kidnapper.

Explaining why he was seen in a jovial mood in the confessional video played in the court when the prosecution presented its case, he said he was forced to act in that manner by the police.

“The police told me to laugh and smile in the video. You do not know what I encountered in the hands of Abba Kyari and his boys. My eyes saw hell,” he had said.