By Onyinyechi Ugwoke
The trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged suspect of Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga, continued today at the Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
A witness, Inspector Ibrahim Isiaka of Maroko Division Lekki, was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mrs. A.O. Oluwafemi, in the trial of Chidinma Ojukwu (first defendant), and two others for Ataga’s murder.
Ojukwu is facing trial along with her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri.
Testimony
As of June 16, 2021, Inspector Isiaka said he was the Inspector, Crime, Night Duty Cases at Maroko police station in Lekki, where Mrs. Nkechi Mogbo reported that her security man at her short-let apartment called her that while he and the cleaner went to clean the apartment, they called the lodger but got no response.
Abu, the security man, forced the door open, and they saw a man lying in a pool of blood.
The Maroko DPO and DCO rushed to the crime scene with the patrol vehicle. And the DPO called an emergency at Yaba, who evacuated the corpse.
Based on the nature of the case, the Commissioner of Police asked that the case be transferred to the homicide section at Panti.
He was asked by a team of detectives at Panti to accompany them to the crime scene. The state in which they saw the apartment was scattered, like there was a struggle.
The team, headed by CSP (homicide) from Panti, picked some items, a travelling bag and some clothes from the room, and they were taken to Panti.
It was at Yaba general hospital that they identified the corpse as one Mr. Michael Ataga.
Thereafter, Isiaka made a statement at Panti, and then he handed over the case file to the police at Panti, and they continued from there.
The prosecution counsel, Mrs Oluwafemi, asked the witness to identify his statement, and he replied with an affirmative.
The counsel for the second defendant, Barr. Babatunde Busari, however, objected to the statement as it appeared to be an extrajudicial statement.
The prosecution counsel, Mrs. Oluwafemi said that the defense counsel hasn’t stated the basis and believes that it is accessible.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya cross-examined the statement and gave her ruling.
The judge admitted the police statement and overruled the defense lawyer’s objection
The three defendants were arraigned on Oct. 12 on a nine-count charge preferred against them by the Lagos State government.
Chidinma Ojukwu and Adedapo Quadri are facing the first eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.
The third defendant, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count of being in possession of an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.
Before now, five witnesses have testified against Chidinma Ojukwu: the Short-Let apartment owner, the security man at the Short-Let apartment, the laptop seller at Computer Village, Ikeja, Usifo Ataga’s friend, and his co-partner at Super Network Limited.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case until Feb. 21 for continuation of trial.
Recommended posts:
Usifo Ataga Murder: Short-Let Apartment Owner Testifies Against Chidinma
Chidinma called me with a private number to confirm about Usifo Ataga’s Range Rover – Security Man alleges.
How I became suspicious that all was not well with Ataga – Witness
Short-let apartment owner denies meeting Chidinma until the incident.
