Convicted Kidnap Kingpin Evans Seeks Plea Bargain, Offers to Forfeit Properties
Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans, has appealed to the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square to consider his plea bargain application on compassionate grounds. As part of the proposed agreement, he has offered to surrender all his properties, including 14 brand-new trucks, to compensate victims of his past crimes.
Evans Claims Reform, Now a Teacher in Prison
In his application, Evans stated that he has reformed during his time at Kirikiri Maximum Prison, where he now serves as a teacher after obtaining a diploma in economics from Yewa College of Education. He insisted that he is no longer a criminal and urged the court to grant him leniency.
Represented by his lawyer, Mr. Etudo Emefo, Evans expressed remorse for his past actions and revealed that he has received a Federal Government scholarship while in prison. He argued that without the state government's forgiveness, the scholarship would be rendered useless, preventing him from putting his newly acquired skills to use.
Educational and Vocational Achievements in Prison
According to documents filed before the court, Evans and other inmates were offered the opportunity to further their education under a Federal Government program. He took advantage of this initiative and:
- Earned a National Certificate in Education (NCE) in Economics, qualifying him as a teacher.
- Was admitted to the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), where he is in his second year studying Political Science.
- Completed training in welding and metal fabrication under the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, passing all required tests.
Copies of his NCE certificate, project work, admission letter, student ID card, and test results were submitted as appendices to support his plea.
State Government Considering Plea Bargain Application
During the court proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, Alaba Kuku, informed Justice Sherifat Sonaike that Evans and his co-defendants had shown interest in plea bargain agreements with the Lagos State Government. He confirmed that Evans' lawyer had submitted an advance copy of the application, which is currently under review by the state authorities.
The case was originally scheduled for trial, but with the plea bargain application now under consideration, further deliberations are expected in the coming weeks.
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