A prosecution witness, Dr. Richard Somiari, in the ongoing trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the suspected killer of the chief executive officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, has alleged that a DNA blood sample found on the defendant’s red dress matched that of the deceased.
Somiari, a forensic analyst and a director with the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, revealed this when he testified before Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
Chidinma Ojukwu was arraigned before the court by the state government alongside Adedapo Quadri on counts bordering on the offences of murder, forgery and stealing.
The state also docked Chidinma’s sister, Egbuchu Chioma, from whom the late Ataga’s iPhone 7 was said to have been recovered on one count.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charge.
At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, Somiari, the eleventh prosecution witness in the case, was led in evidence by the Lagos State deputy director of public prosecutions, Mrs Adenike Oluwafemi.
In his testimony, Somiari informed Justice Adesanya that he had practised in forensics for 15 years and had conducted over 500 forensic tests.
The witness also told the judge that his office received 21 different items on different days from their DNA centre staff members.
He claimed that the items received for analysis included a stained red dress, an army green T-shirt, and a DNA sample from Chidinma Ojukwu.
Somiari testified that other items received were urine, blood, gastric content and bible, which were retained for a toxicology report.
He said that the goal was to create an evidence triangle to link the suspect to the crime scene and the victim.
The witness further stated that the DNA on the red dress matched that of the victim, Ataga, but did not match that of Chidinma and the other defendants.
When cross-examined by the first defendant’s counsel, Onwuka Egwu, Somiari narrated how the result of the toxicology report was forwarded to the office of the Attorney General of Lagos, the Commissioner of Police and the director of public prosecutions.
When asked by the lawyer if he questioned the report made by Dr Andrea Nuhu, the witness said, “I have already said that I am not a toxicologist. It is a toxicologist that can do that.”
Justice Yetunde Adesanya has adjourned the matter to May 30 for the continuation of the trial.
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