Chidinma Ojukwu, former 300-level Mass Communication student at the University of Lagos standing trial for the alleged murder of Super TV CEO Michael Ataga, told a Lagos High Court on Monday that she didn’t report the incident to the police out of fear.
“I had read of incidents where people reported crimes and ended up being accused themselves,” she said while testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya at the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square.
“I also thought of calling the gateman again while I was at the staircase of the apartment, but I ended the call out of fear,” she added.
Chidinma, who opened her defence on April 17, is facing trial alongside Adedapo Quadri and her sister Chioma Egbuchu.
The trio was arraigned on October 12, 2021, on a nine-count charge bordering on murder, theft, and forgery.
Narrating events from June 16 to 23, 2021, the defendant said she noticed Ataga’s WhatsApp status was online even after she saw his lifeless body.
“I was confused. I asked myself if someone else had his phone,” she said, adding that she called him several times without success.
She said she reached out to the apartment’s gateman, Abu, who initially told her Ataga had left the previous day but later said the man’s car was still parked there.
Disturbed by the information, she sent Ataga a WhatsApp message: “Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to leave you in that state. I was very scared.” She said she was blocked afterwards and could no longer reach him.
Chidinma also revealed that she had taken two laptops — a MacBook and an HP — to Computer Village on June 18, 2021.
She claimed the MacBook, which she put up for sale, was a gift she received in December 2020.
“I unlocked the MacBook, they checked whatever they wanted to check and then asked me how much I wanted to sell. I said N600,000, we negotiated, and it got sold for N495,000,” she said.
The money was paid into her account and she left the HP laptop for repair.
She added that due to poor network on June 19 and 20, she tried to reach Ataga via text message.
On June 20, she contacted her sister Chioma, who was in the East and invited her to Lagos. Chioma visited her on June 22, and since she had lost her phone, Chidinma gave her an iPhone 7 Plus she had used the previous year.
The police arrested Chidinma the following day, June 23. She alleged she was slapped by an officer and that both she and her father were handcuffed and taken to Panti police station.
“At the DCP’s office, I told him I didn’t know about the death. I said I ran out of fear and took my things,” she testified.
She added that her father was also handcuffed for allegedly interfering with the police.
She said officers recovered her phones, laptop, clothes, ID cards and other documents from her residence.
Chidinma alleged she was taken into a smaller room and handcuffed to a chair. An officer named Bamidele then asked her to write a statement.
“I told him I knew my rights and that a lawyer should be present. He said no lawyer was coming, and no one would be allowed to see me,” she said.
She further claimed Bamidele threatened to detain her family, including her 10-year-old sister, if she didn’t cooperate. “Because of what he said, I started writing,” she said.
However, she alleged that Bamidele tore up the first statement and asked her to write another.
He reportedly showed her graphic photos from the crime scene and alleged that a robe found in the apartment was used to tie Ataga, which she denied.
“I told him I couldn’t have tied Michael up. He was a huge man,” she said.
Chidinma also testified that she was questioned over her UNILAG ID, voter’s card and bank statements. She maintained she was a student and had processed the documents legally.
