The duo of 22-year-old Chidinma Ojokwu and one Adedapo Quadri, key suspects in the brutal murder of Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga, have pleaded not guilty to his murder.
They were both arraigned before Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square on eight counts bordering on the offences of murder, forgery and stealing.
Another suspect, Egbuchu Chioma, incidentally Chidinma’s sister, was also arraigned, because an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga, was allegedly recovered from her. She pleaded not guilty.
They are being prosecuted by the Lagos State Department of Public Prosecution, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi.
Three and half months ago, Chidinma admitted to killing Usifo after his lifeless body was found in a pool of blood with multiple stab wounds at a hotel in the Lekki area of Lagos.
She said it was in self-defense and under the influence of drugs, but she was to recant shortly after, explaining that while they were lodged together in the short-let apartment, she briefly stepped out to buy some things only to return to his lifeless body.
“As I was leaving the apartment, he stood up to lock the door. When I came back, I knocked but there was no response. Then I opened the door and realized it wasn’t locked,”
“The duvet was on the floor and pillows. The couch was facing the door and the bed was stained with blood and the floor where he was. Music was on, the TV was on. The room was in disarray like someone broke in.
“Then I saw him on the floor, I didn’t know what to do. I was afraid. I thought if I raised an alarm I would be arrested because we were the only people in the room”.
According to her, she took responsibility initially because it was just both of them in the room and she felt that no one would believe her story.
“I never had anything to do with his death. I didn’t involve anybody. I don’t know who must have come into the apartment. Definitely, somebody did but I don’t who the person is. I don’t know what happened when I left to buy food,” she said.
