Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos high court in Ikeja has handed down a Sentence of life imprisonment on Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans) as well as his accomplices – Uche Amadi, and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, after being found guilty of two counts of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, NjenjeMediaNews reports.
The judge convicted the three men after finding that the state government provided overwhelming evidence to prove it case against them.
The court earlier discharged Three other co-defendants, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba of the alleged Crimes. It declared that the prosecution didn’t succeed in proving their guilt beyond reasonable grounds.
The court in its sentencing noted that, “none of the three convicts showed any remorse to the crimes but tried to lie their way out.
“The law is the law and must be upheld. The maximum sentence for the crime of kidnapping in Lagos state is life imprisonment, and the court has no powers to exercise its discretion in this regard,” the judge remarked.
The judge also acknowledged the “harrowing experience” of the victim, Donatus Duru, who spent 88 days in captivity, was shackled and blindfolded, until he was able to escape.
The court relied on the provisions of section 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 and section 2(1) of the Kidnapping (Prohibition) Laws of Lagos State, 2017.
