It has been reported that the police have opposed a suit filed by
suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans,
demanding that trucks recovered from him be released.
According to Premium Times, the police through a counter-affidavit
deposed to by a police Inspector, Haruna Idowu, said the trucks had
been kept and preserved to be used as exhibits in the ongoing trial of
the suspect.
Evans had on Thursday accused officials of the Nigerian Police of
converting certain items recovered from him for their personal use.
Olukoya Ogungbeje, lawyer to the suspected kidnapper, in a fresh
suit against the police, demanded the release of 25 Mack trucks which he
said were seized from Evans.
Mr. Ogungbeje said in the suit that the trucks were seized without a
court order, an action he described as a violation of his client’s
right
But the police said Evans acquired the 11 trucks with proceeds of
crime, stressing that 10 of them were recovered by the police and had
been listed as exhibits in the criminal charges filed against the
suspected kidnapper.
The affidavit reads in part: “The applicant is the notorious
and most dreaded armed robber and kidnapper known as Evans, who defied
police arrest for over 10 years and who had terrorised many states of
Nigeria with his various gang members.
“The applicant has no other source of livelihood except armed
robbery and kidnapping as so many arms and ammunition were recovered
from the applicant during his arrest.
“The applicant had purchased various properties with proceeds of armed robbery and kidnapping.
“The applicant purchased 11 trucks with proceeds of crime. The
police recovered 10 in Lagos while they were not able to tow the
remaining one from Anambra State to Lagos due to the fact that the
applicant’s brother-in-law, Mr. Okwuchukwu Obiechina, and his wife had
tampered with the brain box of the truck in a bid to pervert the course
of justice.
“The trucks recovered are proceeds of crime which are preserved
and kept as exhibits to be tendered in the ongoing criminal prosecution
of the application at the High Court of Lagos State.”
Meanwhile, the judge, Hadizat Shagari, has adjourned the matter till April 17, 2018.