Court fixes July 13 to hear kidnap kingpin's N300m suit against police

The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed July 13, 2017, for hearing of a suit filed by suspected notorious kidnapper

The suspect, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans had through his lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje a N300 million fundamental rights enforcement suit against the IGP.

He asked the court to order the police to charge him to court or release him immediately.

Evans also urged the court to award him N300 million in damages against the police for his alleged unlawful detention without being charged to court.

Punch reports that on Wednesday, July 4, the case, which was initially assigned to Justice Babs Kuewumi, was later returned to the court's registry for it to be assigned to another judge who would hear it during the court's long vacation.

"The case was assigned to Justice Kuewumi. But due to its nature, the judge felt it would be better handled by a vacation judge," the newspaper cited a source.

"He felt it would not be ideal to adjourn it for hearing until after the long vacation in September.

"So, it was the judge who gave parties the July 13 date to appear before the vacation judge after studying the file," the source said.

ALSO READ: Evans' wife denies any knowledge of his criminal activities

In the suit, Evans said his continued detention by the police since June 10, 2017, without being charged to court or released on bail is an infringement on his fundamental human rights.

The high-profile kidnap suspect has since his arrest made shocking confessional statements to the police, detailing his sophisticated operations and naming some of his gang members, some of whom have been arrested.