Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, better known as Evans, the notorious billionaire kidnap kingpin, has sought a plea bargain before the Lagos State High Court, Tafa Balewa Square, claiming a complete transformation during his incarceration.
The convicted criminal, who is serving time for multiple kidnapping charges, now asserts that he is no longer the man he once was—declaring himself a teacher of fellow prisoners at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
In an emotional application before Justice Sherifat Sonaike, Evans revealed that he had earned a diploma in Economics from Yewa College of Education while in detention and had taken up teaching responsibilities for other inmates.
He also stated that he has turned his life around and is no longer involved in criminal activities.
As part of his plea bargain request, Evans offered to surrender his assets, including 14 newly-acquired trucks, to the Lagos State Government.
The proceeds from the sale of these trucks would be transferred to victims of his crimes, he promised.
This marks Evans’ second attempt at securing a plea bargain, after previously making a similar request to the Ikeja High Court on January 30, 2025.
With five criminal cases pending across various courts in Lagos, Evans has already been convicted in two, receiving a life sentence in one and a 21-year prison term in the other.
Represented by his lawyer, Mr. Etudo Emefo, Evans expressed remorse for his actions and emphasized the transformation he has undergone during his time in the Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
He further disclosed that the Federal Government had awarded him a scholarship, enabling him to further his education.
Evans said that without the mercy of the Lagos State Government, the scholarship would be in vain, as he would not be able to utilize the skills he had gained.
According to the documents presented to the court, the Federal Government had offered a scholarship to Evans and other inmates to continue their education.
As a result, Evans obtained a National Certificate in Education in Economics and is currently studying Political Science at the National Open University of Nigeria.
He provided the court with his admission letter and student ID card as part of his plea bargain request.
Additionally, Evans completed training in welding and metal fabrication, sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
He passed all required tests, and the results were submitted to the court as evidence of his efforts to rehabilitate.
During the proceedings, prosecuting counsel, Alaba Kuku, informed Justice Sonaike that the defendants had expressed interest in pursuing plea bargain agreements with the Lagos State Government.
Evans, along with his co-defendants—Joseph Emeka, Victor Aduba, and Linus Opara—are standing trial on charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and attempted murder.
The case was adjourned to April 17, 2025, to allow time for a report on the applications for plea bargains. While the other defendants have submitted their requests, the third defendant’s counsel noted that their application had not yet been filed with the office of the Attorney General.
Justice Sonaike to reconvene to consider the plea bargain requests at the next hearing.
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