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  • Chidinma Ojukwu finally tells court how she found Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga dead

    Chidinma Ojukwu finally tells court how she found Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga dead

    The prime suspect in the murder of Super TV CEO, Michael Usifo Ataga, Chidinma Ojukwu, on Thursday testified before a Lagos High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square,detailing how she discovered his lifeless body in a short-let apartment in Lekki on June 15, 2021.

    Testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya, a former 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos said she had returned from buying food and juice, knocked repeatedly without getting a response, then pushed the door open — only to find blood on the floor and Ataga lying motionless in a pool of blood.

    “I dropped everything and rushed to him,” she recalled emotionally, adding that his eyes were half-shut and there was no pulse.

    Led in evidence by her counsel, Mr. Onwuka Egwu, Chidinma recounted her relationship with Ataga, which began in November 2020.

    They met through a mutual friend, Fiyin, who was dating Ataga’s friend, James. She described Ataga as kind and supportive, claiming he paid her school fees and helped finance her cosmetics business.

    She revealed that Ataga, a media executive from Edo State residing in Victoria Garden City, had three children with his estranged wife based in Abuja.

    According to her, on June 13, 2021, Ataga informed her of his upcoming birthday and invited her to spend time with him before traveling to Abuja for a family gathering.

    “Due to ongoing renovations at his VGC residence, he suggested booking a hotel or short-let apartment in Lekki, where he had scheduled meetings,” she said

    The evening of June 13, they met at the apartment, dined at Ango Villa restaurant, bought wine, and returned to the apartment to eat, drink, and smoke cannabis.

    The following morning, June 14, they woke up late, and Ataga allegedly asked her to contact her supplier for more cannabis and rohypnol, sending her N15,000 for the purchase and later N25,000 for food. Ojukwu was out for about two hours buying meals due to COVID-related restrictions and delays.

    On June 15, Ojukwu testified that Ataga requested more cannabis but asked her to pay for it since he was unable to transfer funds. He also gave her money for food and juice. After a delay caused by a mix-up over the okro soup she was supposed to buy, Ojukwu returned to the apartment and discovered the scene of Ataga’s death.

    “I saw blood stains, pushed the door open, and saw Michael on the floor, covered in blood. I checked for a pulse — there was none,” she said.

    In a panic, Ojukwu said she cleaned blood off herself, changed clothes, and packed her belongings, including a brown envelope containing Ataga’s bank statements, ID cards, and documents belonging to one Mary Johnson. She also took some jewelry before leaving the apartment in a cab.

    The case was adjourned until April 28, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.

  • Police DSP testifies, says Chidinma admitted spiking CEO Super Tv, Late Usifo Ataga’s drink

    Police DSP testifies, says Chidinma admitted spiking CEO Super Tv, Late Usifo Ataga’s drink

    The trial of an undergraduate student, Chidinma Ojukwu for the murder of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga resumed today at the Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square on Lagos Island with the testimony of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Olusegun Bamidele.

    He told Justice Yetunde Adesanya, that Chidinma the murder suspect, told him she spiked the drink of the deceased and that he believed her.

    Ojukwu, a 300-level, Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos (Unilag), is facing trial for the offence alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri.

    Bamidele who is serving with the homicide department of the State Criminal Investigating Department (SCID) Yaba, was answering questions about the incident while being cross-examined by the defence counsel, Mr. Onwuka Egwu.

    At the resumption of the cross-examination, a video displaying the last moments of the deceased, Ataga and the suspect, Chidinma was played to ascertain the items in the video as listed in the evidence given to the court as exhibits.

    Egwu asked the witness to confirm that the items were handed over to him in the state they were seen in the video.

    “The belt and the sneaker were put together in a nylon bag while the key was used in removing the car from the compound to Maroko police station. There was no blood stains on them.

    “In your record of August 20, 2021, you reported finding a blood-stained t-shirt, confirm that the blood-stained t-shirt was not tendered here”, Egwu said.

    “The t-shirt counsel is referring to wasn’t brought here to the court because the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) people took it for analysis”, answered the officer.

    So this t-shirt has not been tendered”? the counsel asked.

    “It’s not in this court, it’s at the DNA office, the witness answered.

    “So you can’t confirm the DNA of the blood on that t-shirt?, asked Egwu.

    “I cannot confirm”. Bamidele replied.

    court?

    “No”.

    You believed that the first defendant must have spiked the drink of the deceased? asked Busari.

    “It’s not like I believe, based on my interaction with her, she told me what she did and I believed her”, said the witness.

    Justice Adesanya has adjourned till January 29 for the continuation of the trial.

  • SuperTV CEO murder: Police tore my statements, forced me to sign theirs – Chidinma

    SuperTV CEO murder: Police tore my statements, forced me to sign theirs – Chidinma

    Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged murder suspect of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga on Thursday told a Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square that the statement she wrote at the police was torn.

    Ojukwu said this while giving evidence at the trial within trial to ascertain whether the statement she made was voluntarily made or coaxed.

    The former 300-level Mass Communication undergraduate of the University of Lagos is standing trial for the alleged murder of Ataga.

    She, alongside one Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, is also charged with stealing and forgery.

    At the resumed trial, Ojukwu said that the two statements she wrote were torn and she was forced to sign the one written by ASP Olusegun Bamidele.

    She said that she was also forced to sign the one dictated to her by officer Olufunke Madeyinlo.

    The defendant who testified as the defence witness one (DW1), told the court that Bamidele asked her to rehearse the statement and narrate it to the Commissioner of Police (CP).

    Ojukwu said that before she was taken to the CP’s office at Ikeja, her hands were handcuffed to the chair she sat from June 23 till the next morning on June 24, 2021.

    Ojukwu was led in evidence in the trial within trial by her counsel, Mr Onwunka Egwu.

    She narrated to the court that on June 23, 2021, she was in her room at their house, at No. 47 Akinwunmi St., Alagomeji Yaba, when her 10-year-old little sister informed her that there were men at the sitting room asking after her.

    The witness said that she went to the sitting room and greeted the men, they then asked if she was Chidinma and she answered yes.

    According to her, the men asked her the whereabouts of Mr Ataga’s phone and the Range Rover jeep  and she said she did not know.

    “My little sister called my father and informed him about the visitors.

    “My Dad came out and asked the men who they were, they said they were police from the  Panti Police Station.

    “They said they came to arrest me and to search the house or I should go in and bring the phone.

    “One of the policemen slapped me and my father told him not to slap his daughter in his house,” she said.

    However,  the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions,Mrs  Adenike Oluwafemi, objected and said she was giving evidence in the case instead of evidence on how her statement was taken.

    Justice Yetunde Adesanya, however, asked Ojukwu’s counsel to guide her.

    Ojukwu said that when the police arrested her, she asked her father to call their family lawyer, Mr Onwuka Egwu.

    She said  that she was taken to DCP Razak Oseni’s office, were police officers asked her a lot of questions.

    “We went back to my house and back to the DCP’s office. At DCP’s office, he asked me questions.  I told him that I don’t know anything about the death of Mr Ataga, that was when they made the video that was played in court.

    “The DCP said I should make my statement. IPO Bamidele, therefore, took me to the interrogating room with Mr Chris, and  gave me a blank statement form and asked me to write what happened.

    “I started writing, Bamidele took my left hand and handcuffed it to the chair. I wrote what I narrated at the DCP’s office.

    “While I was writing, Bamidele took the statement from me, read it and said it was not what happened.

    “I told him, sir, what I am writing is what happened. I also told him that I asked my father to call my lawyer, he said my Dad cannot make a call that he was in custody with them. I then started writing the statement.

    “When he took the statement from me and said this is not what happened. I told him sir, this is what happened. I received two slaps from the back from Mr Jemiyo.

    “Jemiyo and Chris were sitting behind me, the only person facing me was Bamidele. He said “you are going to write the truth”.

    “He tore all the statements I had written and presented another blank statement form. I told him sir, I was writing the truth, you tore it.

    “He said if I do not comply my family, my Dad, 10-year-old sister and  my relatives will be charged with this murder case,” she said.

    The defendant narrated how officer Bamidele, brought out his phone, played the video of the scene at the apartment and showed pictures of Mr Ataga’s body.

    Ojukwu said that the officer then asked her to write, while she was writing, the officer slapped her and said she was slow.

    The defendant said she told the officer that she was not feeling well.

    She said that the officer took the statement form from her and wrote the statement for her and handcuffed her hands to the chair.

    She said that when the statement was read to her, she told the officer that it was not what happened but the officer said, “this is what you are going to say or else your family will be charged.

    “He read the statement to me again and told me to rehearse it, that tomorrow (June 24, 2021), I will take it to the CP’s office and say that’s what happened.

    “He left me there, it was around midnight”.

    She said the officers came back in the morning and asked her to sign the statement.

    During cross examination by the prosecution, Oluwafemi, Ojukwu affirmed that she signed the statements.

    The defendant also said that the second statement was dictated while the first was written.

    Asked if she reported to anybody that she was slapped and that her head was hit on the table.

    She said,”I did not report to anybody because there was nobody to report to”.

    After testifying in her trial within trial, the judge gave the prosecution and the defence 14 days each to file their written addresses in the trial within trial.

    Justice Adesanya, consequently, adjourned the case until Jan.11, 2023, for the adoption of final written addresses in the trial within trial.

  • Ataga: Chidinma made her statement herself – Witness

    Ataga: Chidinma made her statement herself – Witness

    A prosecution witness, ASP Olufunke Madeyinlo, on Tuesday testified that Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged murder suspect of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, wrote her statement voluntarily.

    Madeyinlo made the statement while testifying as the second prosecution witness in the trial within trial to ascertain whether Ojukwu was coaxed or induced to make a statement that she killed Ataga by herself.

    Ojukwu, a 300-level Mass Communication undergraduate of the University of Lagos, is standing trial for the alleged murder of Ataga.

    She is also charged with stealing and forgery alongside one Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ojukwu’s counsel, Mr Onwuka Egwu, had objected to the admissibility of the defendant’s statement.

    He said that the defendant did not make the statements voluntarily which made the court to go into trial within trial to ascertain the voluntariness of the defendant’s statement.

    At the resumed hearing, the Deputy Director of Prosecution, Mrs Adenike Oluwafemi, called her second witness for the continuation of trial within trial.

    However, the first defendant’s counsel, Mr Onwuka Egwu, announced his appearance, while the second defendant’s counsel, Mr Babatunde Busari, as well as the third defendant’s counsel, Mrs F.O. Ilesanmi, also announced their appearance.

    Madeyinlo who had worked for 33 years in the police, said that on June 24, 2021, the Officer in Charge of the homicide session, Panti Yaba, Razak Oseni, brought the defendant to her office to write her statement.

    She said that she gave the first defendant a statement form and a pen.

    According to the witness, DCP Adegoke Bayoade, sent for Oseni, who left the first defendant in her office.

    Madeyinlo said that about 40 minutes later, Oseni came back to her office and took Ojukwu’s written statement.

    She said, “Oseni collected the statement and went away with the first defendant.

    “Nothing happened and nobody forced her to write the statement. She wrote the statement herself.”

    During cross-examination by Ojukwu’s counsel, the witness said that she shared her office with three other officers, ASP Gbolahon Jemiyo, ASP Gbola Alabi, and Insp. Kolawole Lukman.

    When asked if it was after Jemiyo had assaulted the first defendant that her statement was taken, the witness said that she was in the office with only Alabi when the defendant wrote her statement.

    Asked if she interacted with Ojukwu while she was writing her statement, Madeyinlo answered in the affirmative.

    “I did not ask her any questions, she wrote her statement herself. The only question I asked her was if she was satisfied with the statement she wrote.

    “She answered yes, then I asked her to sign it,” the witness said.

    Egwu asked the witness if she gave a 10-year-old girl wrapper to cover herself in the night, on June 23 and 24, 2021.

    The witness said that she could not remember because the incident happened a long time ago.

    Asked if she knew what happened to the statement the first defendant made on June 24, 2021, she said no.

    However, Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case until Nov. 17, for the first defendant to testify in the trial within trial.

  • Ataga: Court commences trial within trial

    Ataga: Court commences trial within trial

    The Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square on Tuesday commenced the trial within trial to ascertain the voluntariness of the statement of Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged murder suspect of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga.

    Ojukwu, a 300-level Mass Communication undergraduate, of the University of Lagos, is standing trial for the alleged murder of Ataga. She is also charged with stealing and forgery alongside one Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu.

    On the last adjourned date, the ninth prosecution witness, DSP Olusegun Bamidele, narrated how Chidinma  transferred the sum of N5 million from Ataga’s account to another account.

    The witness told Justice Yetunde Adesanya how the hand written statement of the first defendant was taken and how the second and third defendants were arrested.

    Bamidele said that after the arrest of the first defendant, on June 23, 2021, her written statement was recorded on June 24.

    The witness said that the defendant’s hand writing  was not eligible, he advised her to make it eligible or write in capital letters.

    He said that the defendant asked him to write for her and confessed to killing the deceased.

    When the prosecution sought to admit the written statements of the defendant in evidence,  Chidinma’s counsel, Mr Onwuka Egwu, objected to the admissibility of the document.

    Egwu said that the defendant did not make the statements voluntarily.

    However, the prosecution prayed the court to conduct a trial within trial.

    At the resumed hearing, Bamidele, narrated how Chidinma was arrested and how she was interrogated.

    During cross examination by the first defendant’s counsel, the witness said that he was in the second team that visited where Chidinma lived.

    When asked about the day the first defendant was paraded, he said on June 24, 2021, at the State Command Ikeja.

    Asked if he was aware that prior to the parade the first defendant and her foster father, Mr Onoh Ojukwu, had an interaction at the commissioner of police’s office, he said he was not aware.

    He said: “Ojukwu was not kept in the cell, he was kept in protective room and he received and escorted visitors at will.

    “In the course of him staying with us, we stumbled on an intelligence that there was an amorous relationship between the first defendant and her foster father.

    “We also found out that the mother of the first defendant never approved the custody of the first defendant to Ojukwu.

    “It was on this basis that we charged him to court alongside the three defendants at the Magistrates’ Court so that the court would decide if he can get bail, including one Babalola.”

    The case was adjourned until Nov.10, for continuation of trial within trial.

    Ojukwu was arraigned alongside two others on Oct. 12, 2021, on a nine-count charge over alleged murder of Ataga preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.

    Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.

    The third defendant, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count of receiving a stolen iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.

    Ojukwu and Quadri are also accused of  conspiracy and murder of Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him several times with a knife on the neck and chest.

    The incident took place at No 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

  • How I k!lled Super TV CEO, Ataga – Chidinma Ojukwu confesses

    How I k!lled Super TV CEO, Ataga – Chidinma Ojukwu confesses

    A Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square on Tuesday watched the video recording of lifeless body of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, allegedly murdered on June 15, 2021.

    An undergraduate, Chidinma Ojukwu, and one Adedapo Quadri are standing trial for Ataga’s murder.

    They were arraigned alongside Ojukwu’s sister, Chioma Egbuchu, accused of stealing Ataga’s iPhone 7.

    Ataga’s body was seen in the video lying on the ground facing up, with his hands spread. He was wearing a white singlet and a boxer’s pant stained with blood.

    His head was close to a wall at the short service apartment where he was allegedly murdered. There was blood on the floor. Blood also stained the pillow and duvet on the bed in the room. In the same Compact Disc, a video showing Ojukwu narrating how she murdered Ataga was played.

    In the video, Ojukwu narrated that she met Ataga through a friend. She said that, on June 13, 2021, the deceased called her and asked her to get a place for them to stay, and she got the short let service apartment where the deceased died.

    She said: “After I got the place on Sunday, we were smoking loud, drinking, watching movies Then, I went to get food, the drug we were taking got finished and I ordered another one and went down stairs to get it from the delivery guy in the morning”.

    The first defendant said that the above-mentioned incident occurred on June 14, 2021.

    ”Then, on Tuesday, we drank, smoke loud and I added Rophynol to his drink. We had sex, and I was on the bed and he was on a chair.

    “Later, he started disturbing me for more sex. I was tired, and after struggling with him, he had his way and still wanted more.

    “He was no longer himself, and I thought he was no more interested in sex, only for him to return to the bed to ask for more.

    “I pushed him away which resulted in his hitting his head against a stool that had a glass, he had a cut on his leg and he became weak.”

    Ojukwu said that she then took a knife and stabbed Ataga on the neck, ribs and stomach, so he would not be able to harm her.

    “I tied his hands with a handkerchief. His blood was out and I was scared. I just packed everything, my clothes was also stained with blood, I just packed my things and left.

    “I took the knife and handkerchief, and when I got home, I threw the knife and handkerchief away. Michael was a friend. I didn’t know him that deeply, and we didn’t talk regularly,” she said in the video clip.

    When she was asked in the video if she was assisted in killing the deceased, Ojukwu said, “There was nobody that assisted me, I did it alone.”

    When asked why she didn’t call for help, she said, ”Obviously I was scared, that was why I left.” She said that there was no motive behind her killing Ataga.

    In the video, the ninth prosecution witness in the murder trial, DSP Olusegun Bamidele from the Intelligence and Tactical Unit of the State Criminal Investigating Department, Panti Yaba, was seen in interrogating Ojukwu at Panti.

    He also asked her why she was using a foreign phone number and the motive behind her hiding her phone number.

    Ojukwu said that she already had a foreign number registered on social media which she used to chat with people.

    Asked why the owner of the service apartment didn’t know her identity, she said, “She didn’t ask for my identification.

    “If she had said that the place was not available I would have left for another place.”

    Ojukwu respondef to a question in the video about why she used Mary Johnson to open a bank account.

    She said that she was attempting to open an account number which got blocked.

    On an Identification card she procured, Ojukwu said, “It was someone that did it and you can’t see his face.

    “I don’t know the contact of the person. I was just going through the internet and I saw a contact to call.”

    She also said in the video that she opened a domiciliary account for depositing dollars.

    At this point, prosecution counsel, Mrs Adenike Oluwafemi, reminded the witness of his evidence on May 10, when he said that he recovered some items from the defendant’s house.

    Bamidele responded by listing the things he allegedly recovered from Ojukwu’s house.

    He told Justice Yetunde Adesanya that he recovered a small pink purse containing two syringes, eight pieces of Rophynol tablets, two sanitary pads, a small perfume, jewellery, an iPhone belonging to first defendant, a note book, a diary and a HP laptop.

    The witness listed the other items to include an identity card with the name: Ojukwu Chidinma Adora; Ataga’s driver’s licence, Ojukwu’s United Bank for Africa automated teller machine card and Super net identity card in Ataga’s name.

    Other items, according to the witness, are three other cards that had the deceased’s name and six blank complimentary cards.

    After identifying the items, Oluwafemi prayed the court to admit them in evidence.

    However, Ojukwu’s counsel, Mr C.C. Ezebube, objected to the admissibility of the items.

    Ezebube said that the custody of the items were not specified before the court – from the moment of recovery to that of tendering them before the court.

    He said, “Some of the items could have been picked from anywhere, there is no originality as these items can be reproduced from anywhere.

    Quadri’s counsel, Mr Babatunde Busari, and Egbuchu’s counsel, F.O. Ilesunmi, did not object to the tendering of the items in evidence.

    In a ruling, the judge dismissed the objection and admitted the items in evidence.

    Earlier, the witness showed the court some pictures of the apartment where Ataga was allegedly murdered.

    The three defendants were arraigned on Oct., 12, 2021, on a nine-count charge brought against them by Lagos State Government.

    Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.

    The third defendant, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count – stealing of an iPhone 7 belonging to Ataga.

    Ojukwu and Quadri are alleged to have conspired and murdered Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him several times with a knife on the neck and chest.

    The alleged murder took place at 19, Adewale Oshin St., Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

    The case was adjourned until Wednesday for continuation of trial.

  • Ataga: Change of counsel stalls Chidinma’s murder trial

    Ataga: Change of counsel stalls Chidinma’s murder trial

    Trial of an undergraduate, Chidinma Ojukwu, for the murder of Mr Usifo Ataga, Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, was on Thursday stalled due to a change of counsel.

    Ojukwu is standing trial before a Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square.

    She is charged with murder, stealing and forgery alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri.

    On Thursday, a lawyer from the Office of the Public Defender, Mrs J. I. Osagede, appeared for the third defendant, Egbuchu.

    Osagede, who stood in for her colleague, Egbuchu’s former counsel, Mr A. O. Ogunsanya, informed the court that the third defendant wrote to the office about her desire to change counsel.

    Thereafter, Mr Ngozi Akandu, announced appearance as the new counsel for the third defendant.

    Akandu, told the court that he was briefed on Wednesday (May 11), adding that court documents given to him were not clear.

    He said that he would need clear copies and more time to study the documents.

    In her response, prosecution counsel, Mrs Adenike Oluwafemi, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, said: “The rule of fair hearing is that litigants are free to get any counsel of their choice.”

    Ojukwu’s counsel, Mr Onwuka Egwu, did not object to the change of counsel.

    Also, the second defendant’s counsel, Mr Babatunde Busari, did not object.

    He said, “In the interest of justice, we will concede to their request but they should tidy their house before the next adjourned date.”

    Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case until May 16 for continuation of trial.

    On the last adjourned date, the ninth prosecution witness, DSP Olusegun Bamidele, testified how Ojukwu ( first defendant) was arrested.

    Bamidele said that the Intelligence and Tactical Unit of the State Criminal Investigating Department (SCID) Yaba, tracked Ojukwu down at No. 57, Akinwunmi St., Alagomeji, Yaba.

    The three defendants were arraigned on Oct. 12, 2021, on a nine-count charge brought against them by Lagos State Government.

    Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.

    The third defendant, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count – stealing of iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.

    Ojukwu and Quadri are alleged to have conspired and murdered Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him several times with a knife on the neck and chest.

    The alleged murder took place at 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

    The duo was also accused of committing forgery by procuring and making bank account statements purported to have been made by the deceased.

  • Murdered Super TV CEO: GTB gives evidence in ongoing trial of Chidinma Ojukwu

    Murdered Super TV CEO: GTB gives evidence in ongoing trial of Chidinma Ojukwu

    Mr Okike Obaji, the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Account Officer to the murdered CEO of Super Television, Mr Usifo Ataga, on Thursday said that the bank placed a no-debit restriction on his account immediately they learnt of his death.

    Obaji told a Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, that the bank learnt about Ataga’s death through the social media on June 17, 2021.

    He made the disclosure while giving evidence at the ongoing trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, charged with Ataga’s murder.

    Ojukwu is charged with murder, stealing and forgery alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri.

    At the resumed hearing on Thursday, the prosecution counsel, Mrs A. O. Oluwafemi, Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, led the witness, Obaji, in evidence.

    Obaji said that the news about Ataga’s death was everywhere in the social media and so the bank acted to protect his assets.

    “The bank placed a no-debit restriction on the account of Usifo Ataga, thereby ensuring that other transactions out of the account did not occur while waiting further confirmation for advice,” Obaji said.

    When asked about the marked column in the bank statements of the deceased which he presented to the court, Obaji said that the marked remarks indicated the details of some specific transactions entries on June 16, 2021.

    He said that on June 16, 2021 there was a debit transaction of N50,000 between Usifo Ataga and Mrs Nkechi Mogbo, via GTB.

    Recall that Mogbo, the first prosecution witness, owns the apartment where Ataga was murdered.

    During cross-examination, the witness said that the only bank transaction made by Ojukwu, was in June 2021 and the amount was N50,000.

    Obaji said that the transactions were three in number and were made from Usifo Ataga’s account to Ojukwu’s, between June 13 and 14, 2021.

    The witness said this when asked by the defendant counsel, Mr Onwuka Egwu, to mention how many transactions were in the name of Chidinma Adaora Ojukwu, between June 1 to June 14, 2021.

    He said, “From the intervals you mentioned, the first transaction was on June 13 and it was N10,000, on June 14 there was a transaction of N25,000 and that same day (June 14), there was another transaction of N15,000, that was made”.

    He also testified that on June 16, 2021, there were multiple transactions of N20,000 which were not debit transactions but credit.

    Obaji said that from the remarks, the credit transactions were done through USSD bank codes.

    Obaji also testified that there were two debit transactions of N101,200, made on June 16, 2021 to PayCom Digital Nigeria Ltd and Capricon Digital.

    He said that the two debit transactions were made through Automated Teller Machine (ATM) on the same day and the same amount.

    Obaji told the court that the transactions that were made to Chidinma Ojukwu were through ATM.

    He explained that it was only a person who had the pin number that could carry out those transactions.

    Earlier, Justice Yetunde Adesanya over ruled an objection made by Ojukwu’s counsel that the witness should not be allowed to give evidence in the case.

    He argued that it would be an infringement to the fair hearing of the first defendant, Ojukwu.

    After all the argument, the judge adjourned the case till May 9 for the continuation of trial.

    The three defendants were arraigned on Oct. 12, 2021 on a nine-count charge preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.

    Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.

    The third defendant, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count – stealing of iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.

    Ojukwu and Quadri are alleged to have conspired and murdered Ataga on June 15, 2021 by stabbing him several times with a knife on the neck and chest.

    The alleged murder took place at 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

    The duo were also accused of committing forgery by procuring and making bank account statements purported to have been made by the deceased.

  • Murder of Super TV CEO: Again, NCoS defends Ojukwu’s participation in beauty pageant

    Murder of Super TV CEO: Again, NCoS defends Ojukwu’s participation in beauty pageant

    The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) is sensitive to the plight of victims of crime and their families and will not indulge in any activity to assault or undermine their sensibilities.

    The declaration was made in Abuja by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Francis Enobore.

    He was reacting to misgivings in some quarters about the participation of a murder suspect, Miss Chidinma Ojukwu, who emerged winner in a beauty pageant, held by the service earlier in March.

    The pageant was held at the Kirikiri, Lagos, custodial centre to mark the 2022 International Women’s Day.

    Miss Ojukwu is standing trial as the prime suspect in the murder of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga in 2021.

    Enobore stated that the NCoS identified with the Atagas in their moment of grief and would do everything within its power to assist the course of justice in unveiling those behind Ataga’s murder.

    “The intendment of the pageant was not to glamourise or make heroes out of criminality, he stated.

    He added that the pageant in question was one out of series of events at the ceremony that featured competition in dancing, singing, bead making and costume design among others.

    “Aside creating a relaxed atmosphere for inmates, the prizes do not bestow any right or privilege on any of the contestants.

    “Moreover, the event was for internal consumption within the custodial environment and never meant to be given wide publicity,’’ Enobore stated.

    He stated also that prizes were won by other inmates equally facing charges for heinous crimes.

    Enobore added that the Service believed that controlled social engagements did not interfere with trial of cases in court as activities within custodial centres had no bearing with evidence needed for cases to be tried.

    “For the records, psychosocial engagements have traditionally been part of the Service’s inmates treatment regimens designed to provide emotional stability needed to promote total well-being of inmates and enhance safe custody,’’ he stated.

    He recalled that several internationally-recognised artistes like Sam Okposu, Onyeka Onwenu, Alabi Pasuma, Denrele, Lamboginny, among others, staged lavish concerts at the Kirikiri and Ikoyi male custodial centres in the past to fete inmates.

    “In year 2000 to be specific, a TV station covered a musical concert for male inmates at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre.

    “At the concert, Dr Sola Fosudo, Head, Department of Art & Music, Lagos State University, praised the performance of inmates and commended NCoS personnel for their effort.

    “These events, beyond the venial of entertaining criminals and suspects, provide avenues for generating actionable intelligence to address some knotty issues under investigation.

    “The intelligence community has severally benefitted from this service,’’ Enobore stated.

    He also addressed the issue of alleged squalor in male custodial centres and stated that females account for less than 1.5 per cent of the total national population of about 70,000 inmates of custodial centres.

    “Therefore, overcrowding and the attendant chaos are exclusively found in male custodial centres due to pressure on infrastructure,’’ Enobore stated.

  • ‘Heads should roll’: Reno Omokri reacts as murder suspect, Chidinma wins Miss Cell 2022

    ‘Heads should roll’: Reno Omokri reacts as murder suspect, Chidinma wins Miss Cell 2022

     

    Lawyer and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri has criticised the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for allowing a murder suspect, Chidinma Ojukwu, to take part in a beauty pageant organised for inmates on Tuesday, stressing that a prison facility should be a place of punishment and rehabilitation rather than fun.

    Ojukwu, a 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos who emerged winner of the pageantry, is being held as the prime suspect in the murder of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga, which occurred in June last year.

    “Prison is a place of punishment and rehabilitation. Once it becomes a place of fun, the purpose is defeated. How will Usifo’s family feel to see Chidinma prancing about as a beauty queen in prison? Heads should roll, except Chidinma has a prison official sugar zaddy,” Omokri said.

    However, the NCoS has now responded saying that the contest was organised as part of events to mark the International Women’s Day celebration, and was open to all female inmates whether convicted or awaiting trial.

    The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Rotimi Oladokun denied seeing the photos but told The Nation that “the female custodial facilities commemorated International Women’s Day with inmates, various inmates without distinction or discrimination against anybody”.