Police gave me script to write as statement on murder of Ataga, says Chidinma Ojukwu

The alleged killer of Usifo Ataga, Super Television Chief Executive Officer, has told the court when she opened her defence in court said the statements she made during police interrogation were false and under duress.

Penpushing reports that the accused Chidinma Ojukwu a former undergraduate of University of Lagos (UNILAG), made this known in her continuation of her testimony, before the trial judge, Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square.

The accused at the resumed hearing, continuing her defence on Tuesday said, due to a fear the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Bamidele, and his team put in her, she could not deviate from a narrative they dictated for her.

Penpushing further reports that Ojukwu led in evidence by her lawyer Onwuka Egwu told the court that she narrated what the Inspection Police Officer (IPO) Bamidele asked her to say to the Lagos State commissioner of police

The defendant added that after she was arrested on June 23, 2021, the Inspection Police Officer collected her phone and asked her to input the password, which she did, stating that Bamidele located her sister’s name in her contact list, asked her to confirm it, and then wrote it down.

Penpushing also reports that Ojukwu testified that the Inspection Police Officer (IPO) in same vein inquired about her laptop and her visit to Computer Village, Ikeja, where she sold the items, and equally asked her about the source of some cannabis she smoked, and she said someone supplied it.

“He asked what laptop I sold, and I replied it was a MacBook. When he asked where I sold it, I told him it was to a phone vendor. He then noted down the vendor’s address. He asked: ‘The cannabis you said you and Michael smoked, where did you get it? I said, ‘Quadri’

‘Bamidele said: ‘Can I have his phone number? I said, ‘It’s on my phone’. He collected the number and wrote it down. Then he asked: “Where is Micheal’s ATM card? I said, ‘ I am not with Michael’s ATM card. He said: Five million Naira was withdrawn and subsequently N20,000 was withdrawn a couple of times, totaling N5,380,000. I said, ‘Sir, I don’t know anything about it’, Ojukwu said.

Penpushing reports that the defendant informed the court that after the interrogation, Bamidele said he got some evidence and asked her to write her statement adding that during her interrogation, she faced mistreatment from Bamidele.

The accused alleged that Bamidele slapped her after she expressed concerns about writing her statement without her legal counsel being present, explaining that her hands were handcuffed to a chair while Bamidele read the statement to her multiple times.

Penpushing further reports that Ojukwu said the following morning, Bamidele and another officer escorted her to the office of the Lagos State commissioner of Police where she was coerced into repeating the allegedly dictated statement.

The defendant testified that she was paraded before journalists and was instructed to stick to the script provided by Bamidele, adding that she was taken to another office where she was forced to write a statement under duress.

Penpushing also reports testifying earlier on April, 16, 2025 Ojuwku then a 300-level Mass Communication told the judge she discovered his lifeless body of Ataga in a Lekki short-let apartment on June 15,2021.

The accused told the court that she met Ataga through a mutual friend, Fiyin, who was dating, James, who was Ataga’s friend, explaining that due to some renovation in the deceased home, he suggested getting a hotel or an apartment in Lekki, where he had meetings.

“Due to some renovations at his VGC home, he suggested getting a hotel or an apartment in Lekki, where he had meetings. I eventually found a short-let apartment at 19, Adewale Street, Off Ologolo Road, Lekki, which Mr Ataga approved. We met there that evening and went out to eat at Ango Villa restaurant. We picked up wine, then returned to the apartment to drink, eat, and smoke’, she narrated.

Penpushing reports that she also narrated how they spent their day on June 14, 2021, recalling that they woke up late that day, and Ataga asked her to contact her “Loud” (cannabis) and rohypnol supplier.

The defendant said Mr Ataga transferred N15,000 to her for narcotics and gave her N25,000 for food adding that she spent about two hours buying meals due to coronavirus-related delay, and that on June 15, 2021, Ataga again requested more “Loud,” but asked her to pay because he could not transfer funds, and that he also gave her money to buy food and juice.

“After struggling to reach him due to an issue with the okro soup I went to buy, I returned to the apartment and found him dead. I saw blood stains, pushed the door open, and saw Michael on the floor, covered in blood. I checked for pulse, but there was none’.

“In panic, I wiped the blood off my body, changed clothes, and packed my things including a brown envelope containing Ataga’s bank statements, ID cards, and documents belonging to one Mary Johnson. I also took some jewelry and left the apartment in a cab’, she said

Penpushing further reports that her testimony, however, runs counter to the case of the prosecution, and testifying last year, the 11th prosecution witness, Richard Somiari, a forensic expert, testified that the DNA blood sample found on Ojukwu’s red dress matched that of the deceased.

The Director and Consultant for the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, said his office received 21 different items on different days from their DNA centre, explaining that the items that were received for evidence included a stained red dress, an army green T-shirt, and a DNA sample from Ms Ojukwu.

Penpushing also reports that the Director said other items received were urine, blood, gastric content and byle which were retained for toxicology reports, while earlier in November 2021, another prosecution witness narrated what she knew about the case.

Meanwhile, the judge adjourned further proceedings till May 7, 2025

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