The Nigerian Police said it is not in a hurry to arraign kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (a.k.a Evans) in court because of a flurry of investigations still going on inside and outside the country about his activities.
He added that the Police have been able to secure three months’ remand warrant to keep the suspect in custody pending the conclusion of investigations.
Moshood Jimoh, spokesperson for the Police told The Nation in Abuja that the International Police (Interpol) was investigating Evans’ criminal activities in other countries, including Ghana and South Africa, are of interest.
“We are very active on the platform of Interpol. If you can recall, it was revealed that he (Evans) has a Ghanaian international passport and the passport is still very valid. There are clear indications of the level of criminality that goes across the border.
“So, we will do what is just in that circumstance and after completing investigations, we will be able to know where we will share experience and ideas with various jurisdictions involved and we will all know how to deal with the matter.
“Yes, Interpol is already fully involved and we are all out to do a thorough job and it is in the interest of the public because such high level suspects should not continue walking the streets and committing such atrocities.
“We have series of complaints that border on murder, several kidnappings and armed robberies against him and these are all capital offences that are not bailable at the level of the police.
“They are not even ordinarily bailable in the courts.”
He added that the Police is determined to get enough facts to ensure the conviction of Evans, given the gravity of his offence.
“For any sensible police force, it won’t be appropriate to rush to court in a complex case like this because investigation is a scientific approach to actually situate a suspect at the scene of crime and convince the court that this is the person that did this and that.
“That is why it is important that we are meticulous in putting details together and explaining how someone committed atrocities such that at the end of the day, Nigerians will be happy with us if the suspect is convicted for all the offences he committed alongside other members of his gang.
“Nigerians will not be happy with us if we rush to court and lose the case on mere technicalities.
He also revealed that the rate of kidnapping has reduced in the country with the arrest of Evans.
“Since that day, the rate of kidnapping has seriously gone down and that shows that we were able to hit the right target.
A Lagos based lawyer had allegedly on behalf of Evans filed two suits in court over the detention of the kidnap suspect. In the first suit, the lawyer, in a motion ex parte accused the police of violation of the kidnap suspect fundamental human right by keeping him in detention without arraigning him in court.
Respondents in the suit are the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos Command.
The lawyer had in the suit urged the court to order police to arraign Evans in court or set him free.
In the second suit, Evans asked the court to compel the Police to pay him the sum of N300 million as damages for subjecting him to illegal detention and media trial.
However, Evans denied authorising the filing of the two suits which were backed up by affidavits sworn to by his father in an interview yesterday.
“I have no hand in any case filed against the police and I did not speak with any lawyer or my father to fill a case on my behalf. All I will say is that they should temper justice with mercy,” Channels Television quoted Evans as telling it on Sunday from police detention.