Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-level student of the University of Lagos, told a Lagos State High Court on Monday that fear kept her from reporting the death of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Michael Ataga.
Ojukwu is standing trial over Ataga’s death and appeared before Justice Yetunde Adesanya at the Tafawa Balewa Square division of the court.
While being led in her defence by her lawyer, Onwuka Egwu, Chidinma explained that she did not alert the police because she feared being blamed for the crime.
“I had read of incidents where people reported crimes and ended up being accused themselves,” she said. She added that she had even thought about calling the gateman again from the staircase but cancelled the idea out of fear.
Chidinma, along with Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, faces a nine-count charge filed against them on October 12, 2021. Besides the murder charge, they are also accused of stealing and forgery.
Narrating her side of the story, Chidinma gave an account of the events between June 16 and June 23, 2021.
She said on June 16, she noticed that a WhatsApp message she had sent to Ataga had been read, and his status showed “online,” even though she had seen him lying lifeless earlier. She tried calling his number several times but got no answer. “I was confused. I asked myself if someone else had his phone,” she said.
She recalled contacting the apartment’s gateman, Abu, who first told her that Ataga had left the building the previous day but later informed her that his car was still there. Disturbed by the situation, Chidinma sent Ataga a message saying, “Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to leave you in that state. I was very scared.” Shortly afterward, she found herself blocked and unable to reach him again.
Chidinma also described taking two laptops — a MacBook and an HP — to Computer Village. She said she sold the MacBook for N495,000 after negotiating with a vendor and used the money she received through a bank transfer. The HP laptop, according to her, was taken in for repairs.
Between June 19 and June 20, she said she tried reaching Ataga through text messages due to a poor network connection. On June 20, she spoke with her sister, Chioma, who visited her in Lagos from the eastern part of Nigeria on June 22. Chidinma mentioned that she gave Chioma an iPhone 7 Plus to replace a phone she had earlier lost.
Chidinma said she was arrested on June 23, 2021. She claimed that during her arrest, one of the officers slapped her before her father intervened. Both were later 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 said.
Chidinma further alleged that she was forced to write a statement without legal representation. An officer named Bamidele allegedly tore up her initial statement and made her rewrite it. She said he also showed her disturbing photos from the crime scene and accused her of tying up Ataga, which she denied, saying, “I couldn’t have tied Michael up. He was a huge man.”
The case was adjourned by Justice Adesanya until April 29, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.
