Justice Sherifat Sonaike of the Lagos High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), yesterday, adjourned hearing on the plea bargain agreement application of convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, and three others to February 20, 2025.
The adjournment followed updates from counsels in the criminal case, marked LD/5960C/2017, who informed the court that the plea bargain agreement submitted by Evans and co-defendants—Joseph Emeka, Victor Aduba, and Okapara Linus—is still awaiting a response from the Lagos State Attorney General (AG).
During proceedings, prosecuting counsel, M.F. Salau, confirmed that the application remained pending with the AG’s office and that no response had been received. Salau also noted that the prosecution’s witness was not present in court for the trial.
Mary Ibezue, counsel for the second defendant, Joseph Emeka, informed the court that she had submitted a letter to the AG seeking withdrawal of the plea bargain for the first and second defendants. She further disclosed that a fresh application had been submitted exclusively for her client, Emeka.
Ibezue explained that she previously represented Evans but ceased to act for him upon his request. She added that the defence team for the second defendant would “put their house in order” before the next hearing date.
Justice Sonaike, however, declined Ibezue’s request to strike out the matter, emphasising that the court would continue adjourning the case if necessary.
Other defence counsels—A.C. Enueshike (representing the third defendant) and Emmanuel Ochai (representing the fourth defendant)—concurred with the proposed adjournment.
The trial, now being heard de novo (afresh) by Justice Sonaike, had earlier been transferred from Justice Adedayo Akintoye, the initial trial judge.
In a separate case, the Lagos High Court also adjourned the ongoing murder trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, a former 300-level Mass Communication student at the University of Lagos, to February 20, 2025.
Ojukwu is standing trial for the alleged murder of Usifo Ataga, Chief Executive Officer of Super TV. She is also charged with stealing and forgery alongside two co-defendants, Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu.
At the resumed hearing, the second and third defendants, Quadri and Egbuchu, prayed the court to dismiss all charges against them. Their counsels, Babatunde Busari and M.I. Otuaka, respectively, argued that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence to warrant their clients entering a defence.
However, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Y.A. Sule, opposed the no-case submissions, asserting that material evidence had been presented linking both defendants to the charges. Sule urged the court to dismiss the applications and compel the defendants to open their defence.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the matter for continuation in the new year, following arguments from both parties.
