Police forced Evans to plead guilty to kidnapping - Counsel claims
- Lawyer to alleged kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike aka Evans, Olukoya Ogungbeje, has stated that his client was force to plead guilty to kidnapping charges by the police
- He claimed that Evans was told by police officers that they would kill him if he did not plead guilty to the charges against him
- Ogungbeje disclosed that his client will change his ‘police motivated’ guilty plea to not guilty at the next adjourned date
The police has been accused of forcing alleged kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike aka Evans to plead guilty to kidnapping and felony by his lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje.
According to reports, the lawyer claimed that he was not allowed to consult with his client till yesterday Tuesday, August 29, when he was brought to court.
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Evans had pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony and kidnapping, before Justice Hakeem Oshodi.
Ogungbeje stated: “We stressed to have a brief discussion time with our client and he told us clearly that the police told him to plead guilty; failure to which the police will kill him.
“This is definitely unconstitutional and we intend to challenge this unconstitutional procedure for hoodwink, undue influence, brainwashing and coercing on an accused into entering a guilty plea against his wish and freewill.
“He pointedly told us that being informed now, he will change his ‘police motivated guilty plea’ to ‘not guilty’ at the next adjourned date.
“In the meantime, after our brief conferring with our client in open court, he made it known to us that he will change his police motivated guilty plea to not guilty at the next adjourned date.
"We have a responsibility to assist the cause of justice in accordance with the law.”
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Legit.ng previously reported that there was graveyard silence in the crowded courtroom after suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, pleaded guilty to the first of the two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping brought against him.
The Lagos state government on Wednesday, August 30 arraigned Evans alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, and Victor Aduba on a two count charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping.
Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Evans being remanded at Kirikiri after appearing in court.
Source: Legit.ng
