A Lagos High Court, sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square, on Wednesday fixed July 13 for the convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, to open his defense.
A kidnap victim, Chief Donatus Duru, had in 2018 filed a suit demanding the return of 223,000 Pounds he paid as ransom while in the custody of the kidnap kingpin.
The claimant is also demanding N50 million in general damages.
When the case was called on Wednesday, Mr. Maxwell Chukwuemeka, announced his appearance for the defendant (Evans).
Chukwuemeka told the court that he had filed two applications – a motion for change of counsel and a motion for amendment of the defendant’s statement of defense.
Chukwuemeka was seeking to represent the defendant.
The claimant’s counsel, Mr. D. O. Obiora, said that the defendant has been changing counsel but did not oppose the applications.
Obiora, however, said that the court delivered a ruling on May 23, granting leave for the defendant to file its statement of defense.
He said that the defendant has not filed the defense but is seeking e to amend its defense.
Justice Kayode Ogunjobi, however, granted the two applications.
The judge complained that “this matter has suffered several adjournments. The delay is hurting everybody and putting the state at their expense.
“We have been here since 2018 till 2022, at the instance of the defendant. I awarded a cost of N2.5 million because the delay was unwarranted.
“If there is a further delay, I will award another cost because I don’t see why you have an application to amend your statement of defense and you didn’t come with the amended statement to file it”.
He, however, adjourned the case until July 13 for the defense to open its case.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the claimant had instituted the suit on May 16, 2018, and served the defendant through the Comptroller General of Prison Kirikiri maximum prison Lagos.
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The defendant was initially represented by a lawyer in March 2019 and was accorded every opportunity to defend the suit but failed to do so.
However, when the claimant closed his case on March 3, 2022, the defendant came back seeking leave of court to defend himself.
According to Evans he has been in prison custody since August 2017 and was not aware of the pendency of the action.
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He stated that he became aware of the suit in 2019 when he was already out of time to file his defense.
He said immediately he became aware of the suit, he contracted a lawyer to defend him.
The defendant added that sometime in March, he was informed that his former lawyer had ceased to represent him and had not filed a statement of defense. (NAN)
