Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square yesterday, dismissed the no-case submission applications filed by Chidinma Ojukwu’s co-defendants in their ongoing trial for the murder of Usifo Ataga, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Super TV.
Justice Adesanya refused the application filed by the second defendant, Adedapo Quadri, and the third defendant, Chioma Egbuchu, because the prosecution had successfully linked them to the crime and that they must present their defence.
Ojukwu and Quadri were arraigned before the court 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.
After the prosecution closed its case, the two defendants filed the no-case submission, arguing that the state had failed to call credible witnesses or tendered material evidence to link them to the crime.
They, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the charge and discharge and acquit them.
The first defendant, Ojukwu, had filed a similar application earlier, which the judge dismissed.
In her ruling, Justice Adesanya held that the defendants still had cases to answer, as the prosecution had established sufficient evidence requiring them to enter a defence.
She stated, „The court‘s duty is not to analyse the charges but to examine whether sufficient evidence has been established to warrant a defence.“
“The first defendant, during interrogation, had claimed that the second defendant assisted her with preparing various documents, including an Access Bank statement, driver‘s license, and passport.
“The second defendant also admitted in his statement to the police that he aided the first defendant in preparing these documents.
“The evidence related to the third defendant comes from the testimony of the ninth prosecuting witness during his examination-in-chief,“ the judge held.
Justice Adesanya, therefore, dismissed the applications for lack of merit.
She then fixed April 9, 14, 15, 17, and 29 for the defence to open their case.
