A Federal High Court in Lagos Monday adjourned till Tuesday proceedings in the trial of Chidinma Ojukwu for the alleged murder of Super TV Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Usifo Ataga following a dispute over his bank accounts.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya made the decision after Ojukwu’s lawyer Mr. Onwuka Egbu objected to Ataga’s statement of accounts sought to be tendered by the prosecution.
Ojukwu, a 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), is facing trial for the offence alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri.
At the commencement of proceedings, Mrs. A.O. Oluwafemi entered appearance for the prosecution while Egbu, Mr. Babatunde Busari and Mr A.O. Ogunsanya appeared for Ojukwu, Quadri and Egbuchu respectively.
Oluwafemi informed the court that she applied for Ataga’s statements of account through his account officer at Access Bank, Taofeek Lawal.
She introduced Taofeek, who presented two statements of account in both naira and dollar, as well as a certificate of identification for Ataga.
But Egbu opposed Oluwafemi’s attempt to tender the documents, describing it as an ambush.
He argued that the defence counsel ought to have been given copies of the documents before they could be tendered in court as evidence.
He prayed the court to direct the prosecution to make the documents available to the defence to enable them prepare for trial adequately, as well as time to study them.
Quadri’s counsel Busari, while not objecting to the documents, stated that he was only aware of Ataga’s Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) and not his Access bank account.
Responding, the prosecution prayed the court for an adjournment to enable them put their house together.
Granting her application, Justice Adesanya adjourned till April 26, 2022, for continuation of trial.
First defendant Ojukwu and second defendant Quadri were alleged to have conspired and murdered Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him multiple times with a knife in the neck and chest.
The alleged murder took place at No. 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The duo was also accused of committing forgery by procuring and making bank account statements purported to have been made by the deceased.
Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.
Egbuchu is facing the ninth count of stealing an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.
