How Evans, Others kidnapped me – Witness Tells Court

A Lagos High Court, Igbosere on Friday heard that the suspected ‘billionaires’ kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, otherwise known as Evans, was the driver of the vehicle in which his victim was kidnapped.

The Prosecution Witness (PW1), Mr. James Uduji, said that his detailed information was given to Evans who had been trailing him for about three months by one man known as Turkey, who is now late.

Uduji also said the”so called doctor” that treated his bullet wounds was Evans.

He stated this on Friday while giving evidence at the commencement of the trial of Evans.

Evans is facing two separate charges bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder, before Justice Adedayo Akintoye.

In the first charge, Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

In the second charge, he is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba.

At the resumed trial, Uduji, narrated to the court how he was kidnapped on Sept. 7, 2015, by four armed men on his way home from his factory at Agbara in Ogun State.

He told the court that the incident took place very close to his house at 7th Avenue area of Festac Town, Lagos.

Uduji said that the alleged kidnappers were driving a Lexus 470 SUV at the time of the incident and several gun shots boomed during the kidnap operation.

The witness said he was surprised at that point to see men shooting gun, adding that he thought they were police.

“I was inside my Hilux van with my two drivers when the men came and pulled me out of my vehicle and dragged me inside their own vehicle.

“I was not blindfolded at this point so I saw the men clearly and the man at the stirring with a gun was Evans, he is the only one I can recognise among the four,” Uduji said.

The witness also said that when he was dragged out of his vehicle, he noticed that he was stained with blood, “I then realised I sustained bullet wounds”.

Uduji said that the kidnappers called a doctor on phone who treated his bullet wound at their destination.

The witness said he was given two anti – tetanus injections for seven days, adding that Evans was the so called doctor who treated him.

He said that he stayed for 45 days in captivity and a ransom of $3 million was demanded from him. Eventually, 1.2 million dollars was paid before he was released by the alleged kidnappers.

Uduji told the court that the ransom was paid in three instalments by his brothers, adding that he was released eight days after the ransom was paid.

The witness was however cross-examined by all the defendants counsel, Mr Olarewaju Ajanaku who represented Evans, Mr Ogedi Ogu who represented the second defenant and Mr Emmanuel Ochai for the fourth defendant.

Counsel to Evans, Ajanaku, said that the specific date when Uduji was released from the kidnappers was not mentioned in the statement which the witness made at the police station.

He also said the date which the witness testified he made the statement at the police station did not tally with the date at the body of the statement.

After the first witness’ evidence, a second witnes, Mr Jerome Ugoeze, the driver to the first witness gave his own evidence.

He said he sustained bullet wounds from the kidnappers’ gun shots, adding that he pretended to be dead when he sustained the wound.

He said he was taken to the hospital by some people after the kidnappers took his boss away.