Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, and two others were on Friday, sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court found Evans and others guilty of a two-count charge of kidnapping the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Dunu.
Others sentenced to life imprisonment alongside kidnap kinpin are Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu.
The Judge held that the Prosecution had succeeded in proving the charge against the three convicts, beyond reasonable doubt.
He concluded that the evidence tendered before the court, especially the videos evidence corroborated each other while pointing to the guilty of the convicts.
However, Justice Oshodi discharged and acquitted Ogechi Uchechukwu and two former soldiers of the Nigeria Army, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba, for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.
The trial Judge also noted the submission of the former DPP, Ms Titi Shitta-Bey, that in view of the gravity of the offence and that kidnapping has been on the rise, that maximum sentence should be imposed to serve as deterrent to others.
The court noted the allocutus of the defence counsel, Olarewaju Ajanaku, H.O. Ajibola, that the convicts are first time offenders, and they are remorseful and have learnt their lesson. But, the Judge disagreed with the defence Lawyers that the convicts have shown remorse. He held that they are unrepentant, and they comfortably lied to the court.
Justice Oshodi held that the Defendants have not shown any remorse, going by the video shown in court.
“I believe a lesson must be taught, to serve as deterrent to others.
“The Law is the Law. Section 411 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (ACJL) 2015, must be applied to send the right message to the public that crime does not pay.
He further held that: “Under the Section 411 of the law on which the convicts were arraigned, the penalty for the offence of kidnapping is life imprisonment, and the law does not give the court any discretion in the matter.
“I hereby sentence the three convicts, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu to life inprisonment.”
Evans and his co-Defendants Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba, are accused of kidnaping of Mr Donatus Duru, the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd on February 14, 2017.