Evans’ lawyer frustrating trial, DPP tells court

Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey, yesterday accused counsel to the suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans, of attempting to frustrate the proposed trial of his client. Shitta-Bey, who made the submission while responding to counsel to Evans, Olukoya Ogungbeje’s application asking the court to quash the charges against the alleged kidnap kingpin.
She said: “The fresh application filed by the 1st defendant’s counsel contains the same elements as a former application which he had initially filed which the court has ruled on. This fresh application is just a ploy to derail and frustrate the trial.” Responding to the accusation, Ogungbeje said: “No my Lord, the prosecution are the ones delaying their case. The prosecution knows what we want. They
have filed multiple charges. Even one of the charges they filed does not have proof of evidence.”
The defence lawyer further expressed displeasure over allegations raised by the prosecution accusing him of trying to stall the trial. He maintained that the basis of his applications before the court was on the procedure applied by the prosecution in filing the charges against his client. The presiding judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, then pointedly asked Ogungbeje, what he exactly wanted?

“I know that one day, one day we will hear this case,” the judge said. Evans alongside and three others are facing seven counts of conspiracy, attempted kidnapping, kidnapping, murder and attempted murder. The second to fourth defendants are Joseph Ikenna Emeka, Chiemeka Arinze and Udeme Frank Upong. Earlier during proceedings, counsel to the second defendant, O. Ogwu, brought an application asking the court to dismiss the charges against his client.
He argued that he had nothing to do with the victims of the crime. Ogwu maintained that the purported statement made by his client had nothing to do with the charges for which his client was arraigned. He added that the same statement was used in another charge filed before Justice A. Akintoye of an Igbosere High Court. Responding to Ogwu, Shitta-Bey read to the court the confessional statement of the defendant which reads in part: “I followed Evans to an operation in Festac but we did not succeed as we missed the target. I decided to go into kidnapping business when I was no longer making money in my business.”
Shitta-Bey then proceeded to explain to the court that there was no law that prevented the prosecution from using the same confessional statement in two different charges. She said: “We have proven a prima facia case against the second defendant and we urge the court to dismiss the application.”
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