Suspected Billionaire Kidnapper Evans to be arraigned today

The suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans, will be arraigned before the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja division today.

A police source, anonymously disclosed that the alleged kidnapper would appear before Justice Hakeem Oshodi.

The suspect, who has been in police custody since June 10 when he was arrested in Lagos, will be facing charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, and murder among others.

Premium Times report that the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Adeniji Kazeem, will lead the prosecution team.

However, when Premium Times contacted Olukoya Ogungbeje, the lawyer who filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit on behalf of Evans against the police at a federal court in Lagos, said he was not aware of the arraignment.

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“Even if he is arraigned tomorrow, it will not affect the hearing of his fundamental rights case,” he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court adjourned till September 5 to hear arguments from both Mr. Ogungbeje and police lawyers on why he should not deliver judgment on the fundamental rights application brought by Evans.

Justice Abdulaziz Anka had initially fixed Tuesday to deliver judgment on the suit but a lawyer to the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, David Igbodo, appearing for the first time since the hearing began, said he had filed a counter affidavit before the court.

“It will be an injustice for judgment to be delivered without hearing our own side,” Mr. Igbodo, Commissioner of Police (Legal Section), said.

Later, when he spoke to journalists outside the courtroom, Mr. Igbodo said police investigation into the Evans’ case was “almost complete, the case is a very controversial one, it is a sensitive case.”

“The Inspector General of Police devoted time, efforts, intelligence, and strategies to ensure that he was arrested. He beat strategies for the past six years. When he was arrested, it took time for the police to complete investigations and very soon, Nigerians will be made to know what is the next line of action for Evans.”

Mr. Igbodo dismissed claims of the police not having the authority to detain Evans saying they had obtained a remand order from a federal court to hold the suspect in their custody for three months.

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“The Inspector of General of Police is a lawyer, in the first instance. He is somebody that respects the rights of every citizen,” he said.

“He has been organising conferences and seminars for the Nigeria Police, both investigators and prosecutors, to make sure nobody is kept in custody beyond 24 or 48 hours without an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

“The Inspector General of Police cannot keep Evans without a court order, there is a valid court order that is still subsisting as I speak with you for three months. You know Evans was arrested on the 10th of June; since when he was arrested till now, it’s not up to three months.

“But meanwhile investigations have almost been completed and very soon Nigerians will be made to know what is the next line of action in the case of Evans.”