Court Remands Chidinma For 30 Days Over Alleged Murder Of Super TV CEO

A Yaba Magistrates’ Court on Monday remanded Chidinma Ojukwu,
prime suspect in the murder of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Super TV, Usifo Ataga, for 30 days.

Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo made the order following an
application by police counsel Cyril Ejiofor.

Mrs Adedayo also remanded Ojukwu’s co-defendant Adedapo Quadri
on the same terms.

Ejiofor had prayed the court to remand Ojukwu in police custody
pending the issuance of a Lagos State Directorate of Public
Prosecutions (DPP) report on the matter.

“The remand is to enable the DPP come up with legal advice. We
pray for the remand of the defendants for the first 30 days in the
first instance,” he said.

Director, Office of the Public Defender (OPD) Dr Babajide
Martins, who announced appearance for Chidinma, complained the
prosecution failed to furnish the defence with the remand
application.

Nevertheless, he declined to oppose Ejiofor’s prayer “in
principle.”

“I have just been privileged to get a copy of the remand
application.

“I have not been able to go through it, my learned friend’s
application is inevitable, I would have been happier, if I was
obliged of the application earlier.

“The application will not be opposed, in principle,” Martins
said.

Quadri had no legal representation.

In a bench ruling, Mrs Adedayo granted the prosecution’s
prayer.

She held: “In the absence of any opposition, the two defendants
are hereby remanded for 30 days in the first instance.

“The case is adjourned till September 5, for review of
remand/DPP’s advice.”

Ojukwu, a 21-year-old Mass Communication student of the
University of Lagos, was arrested by the police on June 23,
2021.

She was said to have been in a romantic relationship with
50-year-old Ataga for about four months before the incident.

Following her parade by the police on June 24, the undergraduate
said she and Ataga were “having fun” when an argument broke out and
she stabbed him twice.

On June 29, she pleaded for forgiveness saying she was not ready
to die.

She attributed her action to influence of hard drugs and
smoking.

But things took a dramatic turn on July 13, 2021 when Chidinma
recanted.

In an interview she granted the police media team which was
aired by Crime Fighter TV, a police sponsored programme, Ojukwu
claimed she walked into the room from an errand only to find Ataga
stabbed, blood everywhere and the apartment in shambles.

In the eight minutes and eight seconds video, she claimed her
earlier admission of stabbing Ataga to death was made under
pressure and fear that people would not believe her.

She said someone probably entered the apartment when she left to
get the things they needed, killed Ataga, scattered the place and
left before her arrival.

A Yaba Magistrates’ Court on Monday remanded Chidinma Ojukwu,
prime suspect in the murder of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Super TV, Usifo Ataga, for 30 days.

Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo made the order following an
application by police counsel Cyril Ejiofor.

Mrs Adedayo also remanded Ojukwu’s co-defendant Adedapo Quadri
on the same terms.

Ejiofor had prayed the court to remand Ojukwu in police custody
pending the issuance of a Lagos State Directorate of Public
Prosecutions (DPP) report on the matter.

“The remand is to enable the DPP come up with legal advice. We
pray for the remand of the defendants for the first 30 days in the
first instance,” he said.

Director, Office of the Public Defender (OPD) Dr Babajide
Martins, who announced appearance for Chidinma, complained the
prosecution failed to furnish the defence with the remand
application.

Nevertheless, he declined to oppose Ejiofor’s prayer “in
principle.”

“I have just been privileged to get a copy of the remand
application.

“I have not been able to go through it, my learned friend’s
application is inevitable, I would have been happier, if I was
obliged of the application earlier.

“The application will not be opposed, in principle,” Martins
said.

Quadri had no legal representation.

In a bench ruling, Mrs Adedayo granted the prosecution’s
prayer.

She held: “In the absence of any opposition, the two defendants
are hereby remanded for 30 days in the first instance.

“The case is adjourned till September 5, for review of
remand/DPP’s advice.”

Ojukwu, a 21-year-old Mass Communication student of the
University of Lagos, was arrested by the police on June 23,
2021.

She was said to have been in a romantic relationship with
50-year-old Ataga for about four months before the incident.

Following her parade by the police on June 24, the undergraduate
said she and Ataga were “having fun” when an argument broke out and
she stabbed him twice.

On June 29, she pleaded for forgiveness saying she was not ready
to die.

She attributed her action to influence of hard drugs and
smoking.

But things took a dramatic turn on July 13, 2021 when Chidinma
recanted.

In an interview she granted the police media team which was
aired by Crime Fighter TV, a police sponsored programme, Ojukwu
claimed she walked into the room from an errand only to find Ataga
stabbed, blood everywhere and the apartment in shambles.

In the eight minutes and eight seconds video, she claimed her
earlier admission of stabbing Ataga to death was made under
pressure and fear that people would not believe her.

She said someone probably entered the apartment when she left to
get the things they needed, killed Ataga, scattered the place and
left before her arrival.