Suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a Evans on Thursday pleaded not guilty to the offence of kidnapping when he was arraigned on amended charges brought against him by the Lagos State Government.

Evans had on August 30 owned up to the offence during his first arraignment alongside five other members of his gang on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping contrary to Sections 271 (3) of the Lagos State Criminal Law.

Others arraigned along with Evans were Uche Amadi (2nd defendant); Ogechi Uchechukwu (3rd defendant); Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu (4th defendant); Chilaka Ifeanyi (5th defendant) and Victor Chukwunonso Aduba (6th defendant).

During initial arraignment, Amadi had also admitted committing the offence while Nwachukwu owned up to the first charge but pleaded not guilty to the second. The others pleaded not guilty to both charges.

However, upon their arraignment before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Ikeja High Court on Thursday, all of the accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the amended charges contained under Section 2 (1) of the Kidnapping Prohibition Law No. 13, Laws of Lagos State, 2017 which prescribes life imprisonment for kidnapping offences.

Despite propositions by the prosecuting team for a speedy and uninterrupted trial, Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to November 3 for commencement of trial of the accused persons in the interest of justice.