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| Federal High Court in Lagos |
Arraigned suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the release of his seized 25 Mack trucks. Evans, through his lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, said the trucks were seized without a court order.
The lawyer said the police forcefully confiscated the trucks from Evans in June 15, 2017 without any court order, but the police have urged the court to dismiss the suit as the trucks were proceeds of crime and were exhibits.
Evans in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1515/17, accused the Inspector-General of Police and four others of unlawfully seizing his 25 trucks and converted same to their own. Other respondents are Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Inspector-General of Police Response Team (IRT), Lagos State Commissioner of Police, and Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Ogungbeje wants the court to award N200 million as general and exemplary damages against the police for the alleged violation of Evans’ rights under sections 36, 43, and 44 of the 1999 Constitution. But in a counter-affidavit, the deponent Inspector Haruna Idowu, said he was on the team that investigated Evans’ case.
He said the suspect acquired 11 trucks with proceeds of crime, adding that 10 of them were recovered by the police. He said the trucks were listed as exhibits in the criminal charges filed against Evans at the Lagos State High Court.
“The applicant is the notorious and most dreaded armed robber and kidnapper known as Evans, who defiled 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. He 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.”
Justice Hadiz Rabiu-Shagari, after listening to the arguments and submissions of both parties, adjourned the matter till April 19, for judgment.
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The lawyer said the police forcefully confiscated the trucks from Evans in June 15, 2017 without any court order, but the police have urged the court to dismiss the suit as the trucks were proceeds of crime and were exhibits.
Evans in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1515/17, accused the Inspector-General of Police and four others of unlawfully seizing his 25 trucks and converted same to their own. Other respondents are Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Inspector-General of Police Response Team (IRT), Lagos State Commissioner of Police, and Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Ogungbeje wants the court to award N200 million as general and exemplary damages against the police for the alleged violation of Evans’ rights under sections 36, 43, and 44 of the 1999 Constitution. But in a counter-affidavit, the deponent Inspector Haruna Idowu, said he was on the team that investigated Evans’ case.
He said the suspect acquired 11 trucks with proceeds of crime, adding that 10 of them were recovered by the police. He said the trucks were listed as exhibits in the criminal charges filed against Evans at the Lagos State High Court.
“The applicant is the notorious and most dreaded armed robber and kidnapper known as Evans, who defiled 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. He 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.”
Justice Hadiz Rabiu-Shagari, after listening to the arguments and submissions of both parties, adjourned the matter till April 19, for judgment.
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