Olusegun Ariyo
The absence of the counsel representing convicted billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans stalled his re-arraignment before Justice Adenike Coker of the Lagos State High Court on Thursday
Justice Coker asked the defendant, Evans, about his lawyer when the matter came up before the court on Thursday, but Evans simply responded, he was not sure of his lawyer’s appearance.
Evans and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, were to be re-arraigned before the court on an amended five counts charge of murder, attempt to murder, conspiracy to commit felony to wit: kidnapping and attempt to murder.
When Justice Coker asked the counsel to the second defendant, Nelson Onyejaka, about Evans’s lawyer, Onyejaka explained to the court that he tried in vain to reach him through telephone calls.
“My Lord, I tried his number and it’s not going. Even this morning I tried his number and he is not based in Lagos,” he said.
The State Prosecutor, Yusuf Sule, then told the judge that the matter for the day was supposed to be for re-arraignment, but owing to the absence of the first defendant’s counsel, he asked the court to grant an adjournment.
“It’s been a trend from the onset. From the beginning of the institution of this matter, the first defendant is the one who has been delaying this matter.
“It’s high time he gets a lawyer in Lagos or briefs another lawyer to stand in for him so the matter can go on,” Sule said.
He further stated that the matter is a 2017 matter and also told the court that the defendant applied for a plea bargain but he doesn’t know if he is still interested in going on with it.
After his submissions, Justice Coker ordered the prosecution to ensure that the Office of the Public Defender, OPD, is on the ground on the next date of adjournment.
The judge said, “OPD can represent the first defendant if his counsel is not present in court because the arraignment must go on at the next date of adjournment”.
The judge adjourned the case to January 30, 2025, for re-arraignment and ordered the first defendant to ask his lawyer to be in court on the adjourned date.
