Co-defendant Is Drug Dealer, Not Involved In Ataga’s Death, Chidinma Tells Court

The prime defendant in the murder of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, Chidinma Ojukwu, on Monday, told a Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafa Balewa Square that her co-defendant, Adedapo Quadri, was not aware of the death of the deceased but that he only sold hard drugs to her.

The former 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos also told the trial judge, Justice Yetunde Adesanya, that she did not discuss Ataga’s death with Quadri and that her only interactions with the second defendant involved the supply of “Loud”, a form of cannabis, and Rohypnol.

Ojukwu, who was testifying in her own defence, was arraigned alongside Quadri on an eight-count charge bordering on the allegations 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 the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday, Quadri’s lawyer, Babatunde Busari, cross-examined Ojukwu, who maintained that he was unaware of her interactions with Ataga at the short-let apartment where the incident took place.

She said, “I never had any discussion with Adedapo Quadri about the death of Mr Ataga.

“The only transactions we had were related to the supply of Loud and Rohypnol. He also helped me produce my school ID card.

“Quadri didn’t know anything about what happened between me and Mr Ataga at the apartment. He never visited me there during my stay. I only called him to supply Loud and Rohypnol after Mr Ataga said he had just one stick of Loud left,” the defendant.

Ojukwu also admitted to taking a brown envelope from the apartment where the incident occurred, explaining that it contained several personal documents belonging to Ataga and one Mary Johnson.

“I took the brown envelope when I was leaving the apartment. Mr Ataga’s driver’s license, his ID card, office complimentary cards, an international passport belonging to Mary Johnson, and UBA statements of account,” she testified.

Ojukwu stated that during her interrogation at her residence in Yaba, she informed the police that she had mistakenly taken the envelope. “When the police came to my house at No. 57 Akinwunmi Street, Alagomeji, Yaba, I told DSP Olusegun Bamidele that I mistakenly took the envelope home,” Ojukwu told the court.

She clarified that she had obtained her international passport independently and that someone other than Quadri had assisted her in obtaining her driver’s license and other documents. “My conversations with Quadri on the phone were solely about Loud and Rohypnol.”