How I Escaped After Spending 88 Days In Evans’ Kidnapper’s Den-Prosecution Witness
A prosecution witness in the on-going trial of trial of alleged kidnap king, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike also known as Evans Friday narrated to a Lagos State High in Ikeja how he miraculously escaped from the den where he was chained for 88 days after his kidnap.
Duru also told the trial judge, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, stated that he was saved by God a day before he was scheduled to be killed by Evans and his gang.
The Lagos state government is prosecuting, Evans alongside five other suspected members of his gang which included a woman, Ogechi Uchechukwu over two count amended charge
Other defendants arraigned for the crimes are: Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Chukwunonso Aduba, second, fourth, fifth and sixth defendants respectively.
They were charged for alleged conspiracy and kidnapping of one Dunu Donatus.
The defendants changed their guilty plea to not guilty after the amended charge was read to them.
While being led in evidence by Lagos State Director of Public prosecutions, Duru narrated his ordeal before the court.
He said, “I overheard one of the kidnappers tell others that the best option was to kill me since my brothers were not acting fast in paying their One million Euro ransom.
“But after I prayed in the midnight of Thursday, before the Friday they scheduled to kill me, I wrapped the bedspread in the room where they kept me, round the shackles on my legs, like the one used to chain mad people, the padlocks opened up; I found the kidnapper guarding me deep in sleep on a three-seater in the parlour.
” I walked to the kitchen; found the doors open, then to the protector, eased my way through loose locks; and surprisingly found a ladder in the compound that aided my escape into the next compound.”
Chief Duru further told the court presided over by Hon. Justice Hakeem Oshodi that he spent 88 days in the kidnappers den situated at somewhere in Igando, Lagos.
Narrating how he was kidnapped, Chief Duru said: “I closed from work around 7:30p.m.
When an SUV double-crossed me and a man came down from the car and pointed the long gun at me. He dragged me down and pushed me into the booth of their car and covered the car.
” I found myself in their den and during an interaction on phone with their chairman Evans, he threatened me that it was only God that could save me from their hands and that no man will ever find me even if they kill me.
“On the day I jumped into the next compound which was also a bungalow like the one I was kept, I sustained injuries and I was looking very unkempt and haggard.
The couple I jumped into their compound were scared. They threatened to call security in the street or the police. I told them to call the police. When they were about to do that, electricity went off and they abandoned me and went back to sleep. At that time, I realized that the kidnappers had started looking for me. So I hid somewhere till morning.
“The couple woke up to see me and decided to call the street chairman. But before they could do that, a young man of about 24 years old, flogged and chased me out of the compound. I got to a nursery school around the kidnappers’ den and the corporate guards there didn’t still believe my story. Somehow, another man who listened to my story decided to call my wife and cousin when I gave him their numbers.
“It was my cousin’s own that connected and they spoke. So the man then believed that I was not a thief. He then took me to Idimu Police Station. Ilupeju police station where my brothers’ initially logged the complaint of my kidnap was contacted. From there, we went to Anti-cultism and kidnap in Surulere and to Lagos State Police Commissioner’s office, from where all us went to the kidnappers’ den.
“Thereafter, I was taken to Police house in Lagos where I saw Evans and the second defendant. Also at Agege police station, I saw the fourth defendant known as Congo, who is from my home town. At the meetings, they pleaded that I should forgive them that it was devil that pushed them.”
During cross examination, the counsel to the first, second and forth defendants, Olukoya Ogungbede reminded the victim cum witness that he wrote in his statement at the police that he was kidnapped in April but told the court that it was in February.
And he replied that it was a mistake.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter till May 11, 2018 for continuation of cross examination and trial
