Convicted billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, has told the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafa Balewa Square that he is now a certified teacher at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre after obtaining a diploma in economics.
Evans, who once terrorized the nation with high-profile kidnappings, said he has turned a new leaf and is seeking a plea bargain on compassionate grounds.
As part of his offer, he pledged to surrender his 14 brand-new trucks to the Lagos State Government for sale, with the proceeds to be given to the victims of his crimes.
This marks the second time Evans has requested a plea bargain in court.
On January 30, 2025, he approached Justice Adenike Coker of the Ikeja High Court with a similar appeal.
Evans is currently facing five criminal cases across different Lagos State high courts.
Two of these have already resulted in convictions—one carrying a life sentence and another a 14-year prison term.
Represented by his lawyer, Mr Etudo Emefo, Evans told Justice Sherifat Sonaike that he deeply regrets his past actions and has undergone a transformation during his incarceration at Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
He disclosed that he was granted a Federal Government scholarship while in prison, which enabled him to further his education.
As a result, he obtained a National Certificate in Education (NCE) in Economics from Yewa College of Education and now teaches fellow inmates.
In his application before the court, Evans stated that without the Lagos State Government’s forgiveness, the Federal Government’s scholarship would be rendered meaningless, as he would be unable to put his newly acquired skills to use.
To support his claim of rehabilitation, he submitted copies of his NCE certificate and project work as appendices to the court.
Additionally, he revealed that he had been admitted into the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) under the Federal Government’s scholarship scheme and is currently in his second year studying Political Science.
His admission letter and student ID card were also presented as evidence.
Beyond academics, Evans said he completed training in welding and metal fabrication through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, successfully passing all relevant tests. A copy of his test results was submitted to the court.
When the case came up for trial, yesterday, the prosecuting counsel, Alaba Kuku, informed Justice Sonaike that Evans and his co-defendants had expressed interest in pursuing plea bargain agreements with the Lagos State Government.
Kuku confirmed that Evans’ lawyer had provided him with an advance copy of the plea bargain application, which is currently under review by the state government.
Evans, alongside his co-defendants, Joseph Emeka, Victor Aduba, and Linus Opara is standing trial on a five-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping, and attempted murder.
The case is being heard by Justice Sonaike, who took over in January 2023 following the retirement of Justice Adedayo Akintoye.
Counsel for the other defendants, Emeka Azubuike (for the second defendant), Chinyere Udeh (for the third defendant), and Emmanuel Ochai (for the fourth defendant), confirmed their clients’ interest in plea bargain agreements.
However, Udeh, representing the third defendant, stated that he had yet to submit his client’s application to the Lagos State Attorney General’s office.
Following these submissions, Justice Sonaike adjourned the case until April 17, 2025, for a report on the plea bargain applications.
