A 300-level University of Lagos student, Chidinma Ojukwu, standing trial for the alleged murder of Super TV CEO Michael Usifo Ataga, on Monday told the Lagos State High Court that fear prevented her from reporting the incident to the police.
“I was scared,” she said while continuing her defence before Justice Yetunde Adesanya at Tafawa Balewa Square.
Chidinma testified that she had read stories where people who reported crimes ended up being accused.
“I thought of calling the gateman again because I had called him while at the staircase of the apartment, but I ended the call immediately because I was scared,” she said.
Narrating her activities on June 16, 2021, she said, “I was going through my phone on WhatsApp and noticed that the message I sent to Michael had been read, and he appeared online. I called his number several times, but the calls were declined. I became confused.”
She said she contacted a man called Abu, who operated the generator and water pump at the shortlet, asking about Michael.
“That man wey I come with, you don see am yesterday?” she said she asked.
Abu reportedly replied, “I see am yesterday, him drive comot,” but later, the gateman informed her that Ataga’s car was still at the premises.
Chidinma said she became increasingly worried and sent Michael a WhatsApp message saying, “Please Michael, forgive me. I didn’t mean to leave you in that state. I was very scared.” She added, “After sending that message, I discovered I had been blocked.”
The defendant narrated that on June 19, 2021, she sent SMS messages to Ataga due to poor WhatsApp network delivery.
She also recalled giving her iPhone 7 Plus to her sister Chioma on June 22, after Chioma claimed she had misplaced her phone.
Chidinma told the court she was arrested by four or five policemen on June 23, 2021.
“When I said I didn’t have anything belonging to the deceased, one of the policemen slapped me,” she claimed. She added that her father intervened, but they were both taken to the police station.
She further stated that at Panti, she was handcuffed to a seat and forced to write a statement without legal representation. “I said, ‘Sir, I know my rights, a lawyer should be present.’ Bamidele said, ‘There’s no lawyer coming for you,’ and I was slapped from behind.”
Chidinma said the officer threatened her, saying, “If you love your family, you better comply. Otherwise, your Dad, your sister, even your 10-year-old sister will be detained too.”
Out of fear, she said she wrote a statement, but it was torn apart by the officer for being “nonsense.”
The investigating officer allegedly showed her photos of Ataga’s body, a rope, and chats purportedly with the apartment owner.
“He showed me a rope and said I used it to tie Michael. I said, ‘No sir, he is too huge for me to tie,” she said.
The defendant said officers also brought out her bank documents and ID cards during the investigation. “When they asked about my UNILAG ID card, I said I am a student of the University of Lagos,” she added.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case till April 29, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.
VANGUARD
