Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square on Tuesday fixed December 5th for the hearing of two no-case submissions applications filed by the co-defendants of Chidinma Ojukwu, who are standing trial for the murder of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Super TV, Usifo Ataga.
Justice Adesanya, who had earlier fixed yesterday for the hearing of the application filed by Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri, was forced to adjourn the case due to the absence of the third defendant’s counsel.
Ojukwu and Quadri were arraigned before the court on an eight-count charge bordering on the offences of murder, forgery and stealing.
They were accused of conspiring to murder Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him several times with a knife in the neck and chest at 19 Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The state also docked Chidinma’s sister, Egbuchu, from whom the late Ataga’s iPhone 7 was said to have been recovered on a one-count charge of receiving stolen property.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At Tuesday’s resumed hearing of the matter, the court was informed that Egbuchu’s counsel, Christopher Jikaponna, sent a letter asking for an adjournment because he was at the Federal High Court for another matter.
In his response to the letter, the second defendant’s counsel, Babatunde Busari, told the court that his client’s no-case submission application was ready and that he was prepared to move.
However, the judge said she could not hear the case because the third defendant’s lawyer was not in court.
She then adjourned the case till December 5, 2024 applications.
On May 4, 2023, Justice Adesany admitted the extra-judicial statements made by Ojukwu to the police in evidence, holding that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Ojukwu made the confessional statements voluntarily and not under duress.
The judge held that the videos tendered in court did not display any intimidation towards the defendant while she was writing her statements.
She also stated. “The voice of the Investigating Police Officer was clear and audible. It did not show any form of intimidation.”
Ojukwu had, through her lawyer, alleged that she made the statements under duress, alleging that she was slapped and forced to sign the statements.