A former University of Lagos student, Chidinma Ojukwu, accused of killing Super TV Chief Executive Officer Usifo Ataga, on Tuesday told the court that statements she made during police interrogation were false and made under duress.
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Ojukwu testified in her defence before Justice Yetunde Adesanya at the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square.
She is standing trial for murder alongside Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu. They are also facing charges of stealing and forgery.
The trio was arraigned on October 12, 2021, on a nine-count charge preferred by the Lagos State Government.
At the resumed hearing, Ojukwu said that due to fear instilled in her by the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Mr. Bamidele, and his team, she was unable to deviate from a narrative they dictated to her.
“I narrated what the IPO asked me to say to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police,” Ojukwu said.
Ojukwu was led in evidence by her counsel, Mr. Onwuka Egwu.
According to her, after she was arrested on June 23, 2021, Bamidele took her phone and asked her to input the password, which she did.
She said the IPO located her sister’s name in her contact list, asked her to confirm it, and then wrote it down.
She further testified that the IPO questioned her about her laptop and her visit to Computer Village, Ikeja.
“He asked what type of laptop I sold, and I replied that it was a MacBook. When he asked where I sold it, I told him it was to a phone vendor. He then noted down the vendor’s address,” she said.
Ojukwu said the IPO asked her about the source of some cannabis she smoked, and she said someone had supplied it.
“He asked, ‘The cannabis you said you and Michael smoked—where did you get it?’ I said, ‘Quadri.’
“Bamidele asked, ‘Can I have his phone number?’ I said, ‘It’s on my phone.’ He collected the number and wrote it down.
“Then he asked, ‘Where is Michael’s ATM card?’ I replied, ‘I am not with Michael’s ATM card.’
“He said five million naira was withdrawn, and subsequently, N20,000 was withdrawn a couple of times, totaling N5,380,000.
“I said, ‘Sir, I don’t know anything about it,’” Ojukwu testified.
She also told the court that after the interrogation, Bamidele said he had obtained some evidence and asked her to write a statement.
Ojukwu testified that she was mistreated during the interrogation and alleged that Bamidele slapped her when she raised concerns about writing a statement without her lawyer present.
She said her hands were handcuffed to a chair while Bamidele read the statement to her multiple times.
According to her, the following morning, Bamidele and another officer took her to the office of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, where she was coerced into repeating the dictated statement.
She further testified that she was paraded before journalists and instructed to stick to the “script” provided by Bamidele.
Ojukwu added that she was later taken to another office, where she was forced to write another statement under duress.
The case has been adjourned until May 7 for the continuation of trial.
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