Kidnap suspect sues Police for seizing 25 trucks

In a report by The Punch, the kidnap suspect's lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, said the trucks were seized without a court order on June 15, 2017 in what he described as a violation of his client's right.

Ogungbeje urged the court to compel the police to release the confiscated trucks to Evans through him.

Some of the number plates of the trucks in question were listed in the suit as: BDG 78 XT, GGE 491 XU, FST 742 XT, AGL 219 XT, BDG 79 XT, AGL 222 XT, GGE 492 XU, AGL 220 XT and GGE 489 XU.

In a counter-affidavit deposed to by a police Inspector, Haruna Idowu, he revealed that the trucks had been kept to be used as evidence in Evans' ongoing trial, with 10 of them already listed as exhibits.

He disclosed that the kidnap suspect acquired the trucks with proceeds of crime as his only known source of livelihood were armed robbery and kidnapping.

The counter-affidavit read, "The applicant has no other source of livelihood except armed robbery and kidnapping as so many arms and ammunition were recovered from the applicant during his arrest. The applicant had purchased various properties with proceeds of armed robbery and kidnapping.

"The applicant purchased 11 trucks with proceeds of crime. The police recovered 10 in Lagos while they were not able to tow the remaining one from Anambra State to Lagos due to the fact that the applicant's brother-in-law, Mr. Okwuchukwu Obiechina, and his wife had tampered with the brain box of the truck in a bid to pervert the course of justice.

"The trucks recovered are proceeds of crime which are preserved and kept as exhibits to be tendered in the ongoing criminal prosecution of the application at the High Court of Lagos State."

Justice Hadizat Shagari adjourned the case till April 17, 2018.

Evans already lost a fundamental right suit against Police

Just last week on January 16, a Federal High Court in Lagos, dismissed a N300 million fundamental right enforcement suit filed by Evans against the Police.

He had argued that he was wrongfully detained by the police for days before he was officially charged but Justice Abdulazeez Anka dismissed the suit for lacking in merit, ruling that no infraction was committed against him.

The judge said the decision of the police to detain Evans from June 10, till June 22, 2017, was reasonable because there was an order acquired to that effect.

Evans arrest and prosecution

Evans was arrested by a combined team of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Anti-Kidnap Unit of the Lagos State Police Command at one of his Magodo Phase II GRA, Lagos, home on June 10, 2017.

His arrest was followed by revelations of how he successfully carried out kidnappings and made millions of dollars from his victims, eluding the police during his decade-long reign of terror.

He's already pleaded 'not guilty' to two-count charges of conspiracy and kidnapping before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Ikeja division of Lagos High Court.

He is being tried alongside five accomplices: Uche Amadi, Ogechi Izechuwku, Okechukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Chukwumonso.

The defendants are accused of capturing, detaining and collecting a ransom of £223,000 on Mr. Duru Donatius between Feb. 14 and April 12, 2017.

Evans is also facing separate charges that include conspiracy, kidnap and murder before the Igbosere division of the Lagos High Court.

The charges relate to the alleged kidnap and murder of Sylvanius Ahanonu Hafiia, and the conspiracy and attempted kidnap of the chairman of The Young Shall Grow Motors, Vincent Obianodo.