Photo: Premium Times
Chindima Ojukwu, and two others have been arraigned before a Lagos High Court, in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), presided over by Justice Yetunde Adesanya, for the murder of SuperTV founder, Michael Ataga.
Others arraigned with her include; Adedapo Quadri, and her sister, Egbuchu Chioma in whose possession police recovered Ataga’s iPhone 7.
She was brought to court by prison warders putting on a veil concealing her face from the cameras.
Her formal arraignment was a follow-up to the legal advice issued by the Lagos Directorate of Public Prosecution establishing a case against her.
Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, had recommended Chidinma Ojukwu and 4 others for trial over the murder.
Mrs. Adeyemi said Chidinma and her sister also allegedly conspired to commit forgery, by procuring and making Access and UBA Bank account statements purported to have been made by the deceased.
The DPP had preferred 9 count charge bordering on murder, forgery, and stealing against the defendants.
Chidinma and Adedapo were further accused of allegedly forging an international passport and a driver’s license In Chidinma’s name.
According to the prosecution the offenses committed is punishable under Sections 411, 233, 365 (2) b, 280, 329, of the criminal laws of Lagos State 2015.
They however pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Consequently, Justice Adesanya remanded the first and second defendants in prison custody and allowed the third defendant to continue on the bail granted her at the Magistrate court.
The case has been adjourned to November 9 and 11, for trial.
The 22-year-old student of the University of Lagos was arrested by the police on June 23 for killing Mr Michael Usifo Ataga at a short-let apartment in Lekki.
Reporting by Wahab Akinlade; editing by Muzha Kucha