Azeez Folorunso/
Suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme George Onwuamadike aka Evans has changed his earlier guilty plea to Not Guilty before a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja.
Evans backtracked today following the advice of his counsel, Olukoya Ogungbeje, who had earlier protested that the guilty plea was done in bad faith by the police without legal consultation.
At the resumed hearing of the matter before Justice Hakeem Oshodi, all the suspects pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.
Others charged alongside Evans are Ogechi Uchechukwu, Uche Amadi, Okechukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Chukwunaonso Aruba.
The suspects were charged according to Section 2(1) of the Kidnapping Prohibition Law, Number 13, Law of Lagos State 2017.
Evans and others were brought to the Court amid tight security at exactly 8:35 am from the Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
The lead prosecution counsel, Mrs. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, told the court that there was an amended application praying the court for defendants to take their plea.
But Evans’ lawyer asked the court for short adjournment so he could meet with his client in view of the amended charge.
Counsel to the fourth defendant, Olanrewaju Ajanaku, told the court that his client was ready to face trial, that the court should read the charge to the defendant for plea to be taken.
The court however stood the matter down for an hour to enable Evans and Ogungbeje to meet.
The counts say that Evans on February 14, 2017, at 7:45 pm, along Obokun Street, Ilupeju, Lagos, conspired to commit felony to kidnapping, and between February 14 and April 12,2017 along Obokun Street, Ilupeju, Lagos, while armed with guns and other weapons, captured and detained one Dunu Donatus against his will and collected a ransom of 223, 000 Euros for for release.
The defendants were charged pursuant to S.155 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.
The matter was adjourned to November 4, for the commencement of the trial