Defence counsel’s absence stalls trial of alleged kidnap kingpin, Evans ~ TheNigerian Information

The absence of the counsel for the second and third defendants, on Friday, stalled the trial of alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, on the Lagos State Excessive Courtroom in Ikeja.

The trial choose, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, expressed disgust on the repeated absence of the counsel, saying he may need to order the Lagos State Workplace of the Public Defender to supply the defendants with counsel.

Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

They have been arraigned in August 2017 in reference to the kidnap of the Chief Govt Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Restricted, Donatus Dunu.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants collected €223,000 in ransom from Dunu’s household to safe the discharge of the businessman.

The three-year-old trial was scheduled for the adoption of the defendants’ no-case submission.

The proceedings might, nevertheless, not go on as counsel defending Uche Amadi and Ogechi Uchechukwu didn’t present up.

The Lagos State Lawyer Common, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), who led the prosecution staff, prayed the court docket to make an order for the OPD to supply them with counsel.

Reacting, Justice Oshodi mentioned there was no justification for the absence of the defence counsel as they have been served with listening to discover.

The choose mentioned, “The court docket notes with disgust the angle of the counsel for the second and third defendants. Their absence at the moment has stalled progress on this case.

“The second and third defendants ought to be aware that if their counsel usually are not current throughout the subsequent adjourned date, the Workplace of the Public Defender should take up their case.

“The Directorate of Public Prosecutions ought to notify the OPD of the subsequent adjourned date.

“This case is adjourned until July 3, 2020, for the adoption of no-case submission.”