Court orders Evans to repay ransom sum of €,233,000,damages of N50 million

Thursday, February 16, 2023 9:52 am

Kidnap kingpin Evans

Akin Kuponiyi

A Lagos high court, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, southwest Nigeria has ordered kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, to refund the sum of €233,000 ransom he coercively collected from one of his victims, Chief Donatus Dunu.

The presiding judge Olukayode Ogunjobi also ordered the convicted kidnapper to pay N50 million as general damages in favour of the Claimant.

The Claimant, a pharmacist was abducted on the 14th day of February 2017 for ransom and held hostage, before he escaped from captivity. Upon his escape, he alleged that Defendant collected the sum of €233,000 as ransom before he escaped from abduction. Consequently, the Claimant, who is the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceutical Company filed Suit before the court demanding the return of the sum of £223,000 he paid as ransom while in the custody of the kidnap kingpin.

The claimant also demanded the sum of N50 million as damages. In his testimony before the court, the Claimant, a pharmacist said that he was abducted on the 14th day of February 2017 for ransom and held hostage, before he escaped from captivity. The Claimant added that the Defendant also asked him to instruct his brothers, Anslem Dunu and Innocent Dunu to pay the ransom.

He stated that the sum of €233,000 was paid but the Defendant refused to release him. He eventually escaped from captivity. He was not cross-examined despite several adjournments for cross-examination. The Claimant’s brother, Anslem Dunu gave evidence in support of the claim and adopt his witness statement on oath sworn to on 16th May 2022.

In his evidence, he told the court that on 14th February 2017, his brother, Innocent Dunu informed him that the Claimant was abducted. The next day he spoke with the Claimant on the phone who instructed him to pay his abduct N100 millionaire as a ransom for his release. He stated that his abductors later demanded £ 1 million. His relation, one Uchenna Okagwu delivered Euros233,000 to the abductors. He was not cross-examined.

However, in his defence, Defendant contended that the strength of the Claimant’s case is predicated majorly upon criminal trial against him and others in Suit No. 1D/5970C/2017. He also submitted that the only evidence before the Court as to the payment of €233,000 and to whom if any it was paid to was the evidence of Uchenna Okagwu who allegedly delivered the money to the abductors.

He added that in the criminal trial in Suit No. 1D/5970C/2017, Uchenna Okagwu testified that he dropped the said sum on the ground and fled and that he did not see anybody or delivered the money to anyone. He argued that the evidence of Uchenna Okagwu who delivered the said ransom to the abductors which is the only direct evidence must pass the test of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Defendant submitted that the judgment delivered by Justice O.H. Oshodi on the 25th day of February, 202 is now subject to Appeal at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division. In his judgment, Justice Ogunjobi held that Defendant gave inconsistent evidence and cannot be regarded as a truthful witness.

The Judge stated further that having watched the demeanour of the Defendant in the witness box while giving evidence, he came to the conclusion that the Defendant is not a witness of truth, and his evidence cannot be trusted.

Justice Ogunjobi held “It’s settled in law that no witness who gives materially inconsistent evidence on oath is entitled to the honour of being accorded with any credibility and such does not deserve to be treated as a truthful witness.

“Aside from adducing conflicting pieces of evidence on oath, I have watched the demeanour of the Defendant in the witness box when giving evidence and concluded that the Defendant is not a witness of truth. I do not believe his evidence. I accept the unchallenged and uncontroverted evidence of the Claimant and his

witnesses. The evidence supports the reliefs sought by the Claimant.

“Consequently, the Claimant is entitled to be paid or repaid and or recover from the Defendant, the sum of Euro 233,000 (Two Hundred and Thirty-Three Euros) ransom coercively paid by the Claimant to Defendant when the Defendant kidnapped the Claimant in the year 2017 and held the Claimant hostage for months.

“The sum of N50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira) is awarded as general damages in favour of the Claimant against the Defendant.

“Post-judgment interest is awarded on the said sum of Euro233,000 at the rate of 10% per annum from judgment i.e. 14″ of February 2023 until final liquidation. The adjudged said sum of Euros 233,000 (Two Hundred and Thirty-Three Euros) and N50,000,000 (Fifty Million Naira) is hereby ordered to be paid or recovered from the Assets of the Defendant. This is the Judgment of the Court.”

The court however refused the claim for the pre-judgement interest of 40 per cent per annum on the €233,000.