An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Friday dismissed a no-case submission by Victor Aduba, charged along with kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans).<\/p>\n
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aduba, an ex-soldier and Evans are charged with kidnapping\u00a0a businessman, Mr Sylvanus Ahamonu, and collecting a $420,000 ransom from his family.<\/p>\n
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo ruled that prosecution established a prima facie case against Aduba, adding\u00a0that his no-case submission dated Feb. 23 failed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have carefully considered the submissions of the prosecution and the defence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe court, at this stage, is not to review evidence of the prosecution but to see whether the\u00a0prosecution has enough evidence before the court to warrant the defendant to defend himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvidence of the prosecution shows that it has sufficiently proven a prima facie case against the defendant and the defendant has a case to answer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hereby dismiss the application of the defence, and order that the defendant should open his defence,\u201d Taiwo ruled.<\/p>\n
Defence counsel, Mr Emmanuel Ochai, had argued that prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendant.<\/p>\n
He, therefore, prayed the court to dismiss the charge against his client.<\/p>\n
Prosecution counsel, Mr Yusuf Sule, had, however, asked the court to determine
\nwhether the evidence adduced sufficiently linked the defendant to the alleged offences.<\/p>\n
NAN reports that Evans had on Feb. 4 opened his defence and denied kidnapping Ahamonu and
\ncollecting $420,000 ransom from his family.<\/p>\n
NAN also reports that the judge expressed dissatisfaction at the absence of the defendants on March 28 which stalled their the trial.<\/p>\n
The judge adjourned the case until June 15 for Aduba to open defence.<\/p>\n
Evans is facing four kidnapping charges at various high courts of Lagos State.<\/p>\n
Justice Hakeem Oshodi on Feb. 25, sentenced him and two other to life imprisonment for kidnapping
\nMr Donatius Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Friday dismissed a no-case submission by Victor Aduba, charged along with kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aduba, an ex-soldier and Evans are charged with kidnapping\u00a0a businessman, Mr Sylvanus Ahamonu, and collecting a $420,000 ransom from his family. Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":122514,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_bookmark_settings":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[37073,37072,74,37074,37075],"class_list":["post-185766","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","tag-000-ransom","tag-alleged-420","tag-court","tag-evanss-co-defendant","tag-open-defence"],"yoast_head":"\n