Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-level student of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, standing trial for the alleged murder of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Michael Usifo Ataga told the trial judge that she could not report the incident to the Police because she was afraid.
She said this in continuation of her defence on Monday before Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square.
Chidinma claimed that she had read of incident of where people report about a crime and were accused at the end.
According to her, “I also thought of calling the gateman again because I had called him while at the staircase of the apartment and immediately ended the call because I was scared.
Narrating further, the defence witness gave a day-by-day account of what she did after she claimed she found the deceased in a pool of blood at the shortlet were they lodged.
Being led in evidence by Onwuka Egwu, her counsel, he asked what happened on 16 June, 2021.
Chidinma stated, “On the 16th of June, 2021, I was going through my phone on WhatsApp, I got to the message I had sent to Micheal, and I remember when I was on my way he has not replied nor read the message, so I clicked on the message to my greatest surprise not only that the message was read but showed online.
She claimed she called the number several times but they were declined, she said, “I was so confused asking myself if I had checked very well while I saw Michael lying down in the pool of blood, could it be that he was with his phone, or someone else was with it. I didn’t call again that day.”
The defendant claimed she called a certain Abu, who used to switch on the generator or pump water for their use at the shortlet.
She thereafter said she called Abu on phone and asked about Michael Ataga.
In her words, “That man wey I come with, you don see am yesterday?
She claimed the man replied: “I see am yesterday, him drive comot.
The first defendant also said the gateman informed her that Ataga’s car was still at the shortlet.
She narrated, “Judging by what Abu told me, I said to myself what have I done? Immediately, I chatted Michael number on WhatsApp, I said in the text, Please, Micheal forgive me, I did not mean to leave you in that state, I was very scared that I had to leave.”
She told the court that she was later blocked and couldn’t reach the number anymore.
Chidinma also recounted what she did on the 19th June, 2021.
According to her, “I could not reach Michael on WhatsApp, so I sent SMS messages, it went a couple of times because of network.
“On 20th June 2021, my sister called me just to check on me, Chioma (3rd defendant), then after our discussions I said if she can come over to my house, so she did.
“She came on 22nd June, I remember telling me that she had just misplaced her phone, at that time she was in the East.
“I decided to give her my iPhone 7 Plus, which I was using the previous year.”
The defendant told the court she was arrested by the Police on the 23rd June, 2021, and the Police asked her about Michael’s phone and car.
She said when she told the armed officers who were about four or five in number, that she was not having property belonging to the deceased, she claimed one of the police men raised his hand and slapped her, but her Dad intervened.
She said she was handcuffed and put in a vehicle.
She further narrated that she told her father to get a lawyer for her. She said, “When we got to the Panti, we went straight to the DCP Office. He was questioning me, and I said I don’t know about his death. I said I rushed to him, and out of fear, I took my things. They handcuffed my Dad.
She said “the DCP said he learned that he was obstructing my men who were doing my job.
“They took I and my Dad to the house. We were in the corridor when the officers entered into the room. They brought out my phones, my laptop, a disposable black bag that I had kept the clothes I wore that day, the documents I mistakenly took from the apartment and the complimentary cards that were inside the envelope with ID cards.”
She claimed that the DCP asked that she should follow an officer named Bamidele.
She alleges, “After that, I was taken to another room which was smaller. My left hand was handcuffed to the seat I was sitting on. There were three or four officers. Bamidele brought out a plain sheet and a pen. He said I should write statement.
“I said sir, I know my right that a lawyer should be present, he said which lawyer, I said I told my Dad to call a lawyer, that he should go and check if he has come.
“Bamidele said there’s no lawyer coming for me and that no one would be allowed to see me while in the station.
“As I questioned him, I got slapped from the back, I didn’t know which officer did this and I picked up my pen.“
She continued, “Bamidele said I should listened to him, no one will save you from this mess but that if I love my family I should save them otherwise they would be charged alongside me and that my Dad is currently detained in the station, a family friend, my sister, my 10-year-old sister and any other family that he could get hold of, that I should comply and stop being stubborn, because of what he has said I started writing the statement.
“All officers present in the room waited until I was done.
“Bamidele took the statement. He said this is nonsense. He said what do you mean about his death, immediately, he tore the statement.
She said the investigating officer brought another blank statement.
She claimed the officer stated, “Now you are going to write what happened. I said Sir, I have written what happened and you tore it and he brought out his phone and showed a scene of where Michael was lying on your floor of the apartment. He showed me pictures upon pictures.
“He showed me a paper with chats which he said was the conversation between I and the owner of the apartment, Nkechi. I said, no sir, I have never had a conversation with this person.
He showed picture of a rope and showed Michael’s wrist was injured.
“I said no sir, I could not possibly tie Michael, he is so huge, he said it is a lie that that’s the rope I used in tying Michael, I said no sir.
He brought out things recovered from my house and my ID cards.
He asked why do I have bank statements with me, I said I did not know.
He said your international passport, voter’s card, driver’s licence, where are they from? I said I went to immigration and did it. He said what about the UNILAG ID card, I said I am a student of UNILAG.
Justice Adesanya adjourned till April 29 for further hearing of the matter.
