Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Special Offences Court on Monday sentenced kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans, and his co-defendant, Victor Aduba, to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping one Sylvanus Hafia.
They were accused of conspiring and kidnapping Sylvanus Ahanonu Hafia at about 5:30 pm on June 23, 2014, at Kara Street, Amuwo Odofin in Lagos and were alleged to have captured and detained Hafia and demanded a ransom of $2m.
But they pleaded not guilty to the four charges.
The judge held that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to other aspiring kidnappers.
Delivering judgment on Monday, the judge held that the prosecution successfully proved the case of kidnap and possession of firearms against the convicts.
“It has been established by the prosecution witness (PW3, Ahanonu) that the complainant was kidnapped. The question is who kidnapped him?” the judge said.
“PW3 identified the first defendant in court while he was giving his testimony. He also recognised him at the police station nearly two months before the matter was taken to court.
“He testified that he was blindfolded before taken to the bus. He said ‘immediately I saw him, I said this was the person that kidnapped me’. I also watched the video where the first defendant admitted to have kidnapped PW3.
“The first defendant sat in a comfortable chair and there was no sign that he made the statement under duress. He was not threatened or harassed. He signed the statement.
“He also said how he broke into banks and later graduated to kidnapping. I am satisfied that this court can convict the defendants through his confessional statement.”
Additionally, the judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the claim that three of the men who were with Evans were killed by police officers as alleged.
For Aduba, the second defendant, he was found guilty based on his confessional statement, and the judge ruled that he would serve out his sentence without the option of fine.
“I have considered the allocutus of the defence counsel. This sentencing will serve as a deterrent to others,” the judge held.
“The two are hereby sentenced to a five-year jail term for the first count, second count, 21 years, and third count, five years.
“The sentencing will, however, run concurrently. They are hereby sentenced to 21 years imprisonment without an option of fine.”
