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Evans files fresh charges, seeks N300m damages

By Joseph Onyekwere and Odita Sunday
30 June 2017   |   4:12 am
Suspected kidnapping kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, has again dragged the Inspector General of Police, and three others before a Federal High Court in Lagos over his alleged illegal detention.

Evans

We have power to keep him for three months, police say
Suspected kidnapping kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, has again dragged the Inspector General of Police, and three others before a Federal High Court in Lagos over his alleged illegal detention.

In the new suit filed yesterday by a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, Evans is claiming N300 million as general and exemplary damages against the police for alleged illegal detention and unconstitutional media trial.

Joined as respondents in his new originating motion are the Nigeria Police Force, the Commissioner of Police Lagos State and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command.

Evans had on Wednesday filed an ex parte application with reference number FHC/L/CS/1012/2017, before the same court, seeking an order directing the respondents to charge him to court. He had also in the alternative, sought an order directing the respondents to release him unconditionally, where no charge is preferred against him.

In an affidavit deposed to by his father, Mr. Stephen Onwuamadike, it was averred that the applicant has been subjected to media trial without any court order by the respondents.

Onwuamadike further averred that the media trial and news orchestrated by the respondents have continued to generate reactions in both print and electronic media without his son being afforded a fair hearing before a court of law.

He is also seeking a declaration that his parade on June 11 before journalists in Lagos, at the Lagos Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja, without any court order, is unconstitutional and illegal and compelling the respondents to jointly and severally, pay him the sum of N300 million as exemplary damages for illegal detention and alleged harm caused by the alleged media trial. No date has been fixed for hearing in his latest suit.

Meanwhile, the police yesterday gave reasons why Evans decided to drag the Nigeria Police to court over his continuous detention. Police sources said it was Evans’ gang members who are yet to be arrested that sought for and got the services of Ogungbeje to frustrate further investigation into the case. “They are insisting that Evans should be charged to court.”

It was, however, gathered that the police IRT team expected such a sharp move early enough and had secured an order of the Federal High Court to detain Evans for at least three months. The order, police sources told newsmen, was secured last week Thursday.

The source said this is to enable the police conclude all investigations in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa so that all those involved in the kidnapping ring run by Evans would be brought to book.

The source added: “Unfortunately for them, which is what they failed to take into cognizance, we can also renew the order after three months. But I am sure we will not even need up to that.”

Their running helter skelter is helping us as they are daily making mistakes that have been further exposing them.”

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