Kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, known popularly as Evans, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja.
He was sentenced alongside two kidnappers, Uchenna Amadi, and Okuchuwkwu Nwachukwu, by Justice Hakeem Oshodi.
FirstNews reported earlier on Friday that the judge convicted Evans and the two others.
Justice Oshodi, after convicting them on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru, the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd, held that the prosecution successfully proved the charge against them beyond a reasonable doubt.
In his verdict on Evans, the judge held that he observed the demeanour of the witness, stating that in some of the confessional videos played in court, Evans had mentioned some of the other defendants and the roles they played in the crime.
“He was seen freely laughing and willingly answering questions. A close look at his body shows no sign of torture. He did not look unkempt. He is seen laughing even when he was told that he must be a rich kidnapper,” Justice Oshodi said.
“He showed no remorse in the dock and tried to lie his way out of the crimes despite the video evidence.”
The judge concluded that the evidence tendered before the court, especially their video confessions corroborated their guilt.
The court discharged and acquitted Ogechi Uchechukwu and two former soldiers of the Nigerian Army, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba, for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.
Evans was arraigned before the court by the Lagos State government alongside Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, and Victor Aduba for allegedly kidnapping the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Dunu, on February 14, 2017.
The convicts were said to have committed the alleged offence between February 14 and April 12, 2017.