Suspected kidnapper Chukwudumeme George Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, on Thursday changed his plea of 'guilty' to 'not guilty'.
Appearing before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Ikeja Division of the Lagos State High Court, he pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy under Section 411 of the Lagos State Criminal Laws and kidnapping.
Recall that Evans had two months ago pleaded guilty to both offences, which were said to have been committed on February 14, 2017.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has amended the charges it filed against Evans and five others charged alongside him.
The state’s Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Titilayo Shitta-Bey told Justice Hakeem Oshodi that the amendment only affects the punishment section for the second charge and not the crime itself.
The DPP urged the court to allow the defendants take fresh pleas to the amended two count charges.
However, counsel to Evans, Olukoya Ogungbeje opposed the move for fresh pleas saying that he had just been served in court that morning with the amended charge and he needed time to confer with his client.
Ogungbeje then asked the court to grant him a short adjournment so he could get a proper brief from his clients on how to proceed.
Justice Oshodi declined the adjournment but rather opted to stand down the case for 45mins to enable the lawyers to confer with their clients.
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