Absence of convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (a.k.a. Evans) on Wednesday stalled a suit filed against him by a kidnap victim, Chief Donatus Duru.

Duru had, in 2018, filed the suit before a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square,

He is demanding refund of 223,000 pounds he allegedly paid as ransom to Evans, while in his custody.

Duru is also demanding N50 million from Evans as damages for his abduction.

On Wednesday, Evans’s counsel, Mr Amobi Nzelu, reminded the court that on the last adjourned date, June 29, it granted his application to become counsel to the defendant.

Nzelu said that he consequently wrote a letter to the court requesting that the Nigeria Correctional Service be directed to produce the defendant in court on Wednesday.

The counsel said that he was surprised that the defendant was not produced in court.

However, Duru’s counsel, Mr D. O. Obiora, said that the case was adjourned until Wednesday for defence to open its case.

Obiora said that a copy of the letter was not served on him.

“We are parties in this suit, we should be given a copy of the letter,” he said.

Evans’s counsel replied that it was an oversight.

“It was not done to hurt the claimant,” he submitted.

Justice Kayode Ogunjobi held that the letter was not acted upon by the court’s registrar, ruling that proceedings would not go on because the defendant was not in court.

He adjourned the case until Oct. 12 for defence to open its case.