Chidinma Ojukwu, the first defendant standing trial for alleged murder of Super TV CEO, Michael Usifo Ataga, on Monday, narrated before a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafa Balewa Square what she knows about his death.
In continuation of her defence before Justice Yetunde Adesanya, the 23-year-old former Mass Communication student at the University of Lagos said that on June 15, 2021while she was crying over the incident, she initially wanted to report it to the police but on a second thought, she didn’t.
Led in evidence by her counsel Onwuka Egwu (Esq.), she said, “I have read when people report an incident and they were accused at the end.
“I also thought of calling the gate man because I called him while I was at the staircase but immediately I ended the call because I was scared and afraid.
“On the 16th of June, 2021, while I was in the restaurant, I noticed that the message I sent to Michael ticked blue and I also noticed that he didn’t reply to my messages and to my greatest surprise not only did the message tick blue, it showed online.
“I called the number, it rang twice and the call was declined. Then I sent a message “hello”, after a few seconds it turned blue, I was thinking over my head, asking myself if I checked very well when I saw Michael lying down in the pool of blood. Could it be that he was with the phone or someone else was with the phone? So I didn’t call again that day.”
She said that on June 17, 2021, she still tried to call Michael but she continues to get a decline.
Then she decided to contact Hitman Abu with a family friend’s phone because she was having poor network as at that time.
When she called Abu ‘s phone number, Abu recognised her voice because he had known her before.
Abu told her that Michael went out the previous day and was back with his car.
Chidinma said she then wrote a message to him, saying, “Please, Michael forgive me, I didn’t mean to leave you in that state, I was very scared. I just called Hitman and he said that you are still there and you car is still there.”
She then said she was blocked from reaching his phone number.
The first defendant counsel Onwuka Egwu, asked Chidinma if she made any reservation on June 17, 2021and she said No.
He then asked her if she can recall what happened on June 18, 2021.
Chidinma Ojukwu narrated how she sold one of her laptops for N495, 000 and repaired the second one on the 18th of June, 2021.
She said that on 19th of June, 2021, she tried to send Michael SMS but because of network, the message went couple of times.
Chidinma testified how she gave her sister Chioma one of her old phones (Iphone 7 plus) because she had earlier complained of misplacing her phone.
She then narrated how she was apprehended by four police officers on the June 23, 2021 along with her father because her father asked the officers about their search and arrest warrant.
She asked her father to call their family lawyer Mr Onwuka immediately.
Subsequently, when the police officers who were ordered by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) insisted that they should take them to the house to search thier apartment.
She said, “They brought out my two laptops, a disposable black bag where I kept the clothes I wore on the day of the incident, the I.D card , the documents I mistakenly took and the complementary cards in the envelopes I took from the apartment”.
She testified how the DCP handed her over to officer Bamidele for interrogation and her statement.
Chidinma narrated how officer Bamidele tore her first statement, assuring her that no lawyer nor anyone else will be coming for her.
He showed her videos and many pictures of Bamidele death scene, telling her to say the truth else she and her family would face the consequences.
“Bamidele said, your international passport and drivers licence where are they from”? ” I said from immigration by myself as at the time I wanted to travel but something came u. He said what about your Unilag I. D card and I said I’m a student of Unilag but Quadri helped me to get it. He asked me about my UBA dollar account and I said I recently opened it. Then he started asking me how I met Mr Michael, all that we did together.
“Bamidele asked about the phone I was previously using and I said I gave I phone S9 to my aunty and I phone 7+ to chioma my sister. He asked for their names and phone numbers. Then he said I should unlock my phone to check of the names and contacts in my phone,” she said.
The judge adjourned the case till April 29, 2021 for further hearing.