Notorious kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, told the Lagos State High Court, sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, that he is willing to surrender all his property, as part of a plea bargain agreement, should the court consider his application on compassionate grounds.
He also said that he is now a teacher at the correctional centre in Kirikiri after obtaining a teaching diploma in Economics from the Yewa College of Education, and he is no longer a criminal.
He pledged to forfeit his 14 brand new trucks to the Lagos State Government for sale, with the proceeds to be transferred to the victims of his criminal activities, as part of the proposed plea bargain arrangement.
This is the second time Evans has approached a court seeking a plea bargain for his involvement in the kidnapping.
On January 30, 2025, Evans approached Justice Adenike Coker of the Ikeja High Court to ask for a plea bargain.
Evans had five criminal cases across various high courts in Lagos State. Two of these have already resulted in convictions, one of which carries a life sentence, while the other has a 14-year prison term.
Represented by his lawyer, Mr Etudo Emefo, Evans, in his application before Justice Sherifat Sonaike, expressed remorse for his actions, stating that he had undergone a transformation during his time in Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
He claimed that the Federal Government of Nigeria gave him a scholarship while in prison.
He pleaded with the Lagos State Government for mercy, explaining that without their forgiveness, the Federal Government’s scholarship would be rendered useless.
Furthermore, he argued that he would be unable to practise the new skills he acquired while incarcerated, which would amount to a waste of government resources.
Evans who was offered admission to the National Open University of Nigeria under the Federal Government’s scholarship scheme
is currently in his second year, studying Political Science. His admission letter and student ID card were presented to the court as part of the application.
Evans said he also underwent training in welding and metal fabrication through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, successfully passing all relevant tests. A copy of the test results was included as an appendix.
However, the case was adjourned till April 17, 2025, for a report on the applications for plea bargains.
