MURDER OF USIFO ATAGA: JUDGE'S ABSENCE STALLS CHIDINMA'S TRIAL

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

A Lagos High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), on Wednesday, adjourned the ongoing trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect of the alleged murder of SuperTV boss, Usifo Ataga due to the Judge’s absence as she is presently bereaved.

Chidinma is standing trial on charges of murder, theft, and forgery with her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri before Justice Yetunde Adesanya.

On the last adjourned date on October 11th, the court admitted the pictures, videos, documents and other recovered items that was tendered by a Prosecuting witness, Olusegun Bamidele, who is a police officer, as Exhibit P-25, P-26, P-27, P-28a&b, and P-29 respectively.

The court also, listened to his testimony as he was the officer, who investigated and also, recorded the confessional statement of Chidinma when she was first arrested.

While giving his testimony, he showed the court some pictures and video that were taken by his team when they visited the scene of the murder and also the CCTV footage that was gotten from the Anglo villa where the deceased and defendant visited before his death.

The video showed how the facility in which the duo lodged in looked like. According to him, the room had a bed, a cushion chair, a mini kitchen , two stools which one was broken, a wardrobe, and curtain.

The video recording of the room also showed the lifeless body of a man that the witness identified as Usifo Ataga. He was wearing a boxer-shorts and his chest and stomach was covered with a white cloth.

Meanwhile, the picture evidence showed some supplements inside Ataga bag, his blood on the ground, broken cabinet, a stool and a broken door.

Other items visible in the picture are food supplements, his bag, clothes, pain killer and three bottles of wine. Also, the bed sheet, a rope, the wall and the pillow were stained with the deceased’s blood.

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

Recall that, in April 2021, Chidinma, her sister Chioma Egbuchu and Adedapo Quadri were arrested by the police for alleged murder of Usifo Ataga which happened at number 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. They are facing an eight-count charge bordering on murder, conspiracy, forgery, making of bank statement, stealing, and stabbing.

The third defendant is facing a nine-count charge of stealing an iPhone 7 that belonged to the deceased.