Evans Onuamadike
Suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans,
While speaking at the Friday proceedings in his trial before
Justice Adedayo Akintoye at the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, maintained his allegation that he was tortured by police to make his
confessional statement.
According to PUNCH, Evans countered the claim by the police that
his statement was obtained under a fair atmosphere and that the
statement could have been taken in the presence of a lawyer, if Evans
had hired one.
Evans said human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), once came to the
police station to meet with him, but the police prevented the meeting
by locking him (Evans) up in a toilet.
He said immediately after he was arrested by the police in 2017,
his wife, Uchenna, contacted the human rights lawyer, but upon the
lawyer’s visit to the police station, he was told that he (Evans) had
been taken out for investigation.
Speaking further, Evans claimed he overheard Falana and the Lagos
coordinator of the Inspector-General of Police Response Team, one CSP
Phillip, exchange pleasantries upon the lawyer’s arrival at Phillip’s
office.
He said after being told that he had been taken out for
investigation, Falana warned the police against claiming that the
suspect had been shot while trying to escape.
Led in evidence by his lawyer, Olanrewaju Ajanaku, Evans insisted
that he was threatened to put his signature to an already prepared
confessional statement by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad who he
accused of murdering several suspects in his presence “in Saddam Hussein
style.”
He said, “Immediately after my arrest, my wife called Mr Femi
Falana and he came to SARS. But CSP Phillip told two armed policemen to
hide me inside the office toilet and to tell the lawyer that I was not
around.
“I heard Phillip greet him, and Mr Falana said he wanted to see
me. CSP Phillip told him that I had been taken out for investigation.
“Mr Falana warned him that he did not want to hear that I was
trying to escape and then I was shot dead. He told them that if I had
committed any offence, I should be charged to court.”