Counsel to Linus Opara, the third defendant in the trial of a suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, wants the medical director of Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons to issue a medical report on Opara’s health.
Opara is being tried alongside Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, the deadly high-profile kidnapper from Nnewi in Anambra.
Counsel to Opara, Mr J. C. Jiakponna, brought the application for Opara’s medical report before an Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Thursday.
Apart from Evans, Opara is also standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka and Victor Aduba.
They are facing trial on charges, bordering on conspiracy to kidnap and for selling of firearms.
The charges were filed against them by the Lagos State Government before Justice Adedayo Akintoye.
TBI Africa said the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on the last adjourned date on May 17, Jiakponna, had announced his appearance as the new counsel for Opara, informing court that he had a bail application.
However, at the resumed hearing, Jiakponna did not move the bail application.
Instead, he moved another application seeking an order to compel the medical director of the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons to issue a medical report on Opara’s state of health.
He claimed that a surgery which Opara underwent in prison custody failed.
“The applicant had a failed operation which might require treatment at an outside hospital.
“If, at the end of the day, the medical report says he can be managed in the prison, we will not be able to move his (bail) application.
“We urge your lordship to grant this application. The law places a high premium on a human’s life,” Jiakponna argued.
The Lagos State Prosecuting Counsel, Mr Y. G. Oshoala, did not challenge Jiakponna.
“In the interest of justice, we will not be opposing the application,” Oshoala said.
In a bench ruling, Akintoye granted the prayer.
“In the absence of any objection to the motion filed on behalf of third defendant, the medical director is hereby ordered to issue a medical report to the court within the next seven days,” she said.
She adjourned the case until June 27.
