The inability of alleged kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, to pay his legal bills has stalled two trials which are before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court.

Mr Chinoye Obiagwu (SAN), the counsel to Evans and Chiemeka Arinze his co-defendant in one of the kidnap cases, had written to the court to request for an adjournment in both cases.

Portions of the letter dated March 4 and signed by Mr Noel Brown on behalf of Obiagwu was read in court by Mr Abiodun Alagbe, the state prosecutor.

Excerpts of the letter read, “Now that he (Obiagwu) is on hand to lead the defence, he finds that the families of the defendants are yet to provide some necessary yet critical obligations, which to prevent any embarrassment, and for the safety and well being of the defendants, who are still being held in custody, he (Obiagwu) would not want disclosed to the open court.”

After he had read portions of the letter, Alagbe noted that Evans’ defence team were also absent in court during the trial on February 6.

Reacting to the letter, Justice Taiwo registered her displeasure at the request for an adjournment.

“It is ridiculous that we should wait for the first defendant (Evans) and his counsel to negotiate for a case that is already in court,” she said.

The Judge, however, acceded to the request and granted different adjournment dates for the two suits.

NAN reports that in the first criminal suit, Evans is facing trial alongside Victor Aduba, a dismissed member of the Nigerian Army.

The defendants are charged with four counts of kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.

(NAN)

Mar. 6, 2019 @ 03:05 GMT |