The police have filed a criminal charge against Onoh Ojukwu, the father of Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300 level Mass Communication Department student of the University of Lagos, who is accused of killing the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Super TV, Usifo Ataga.
Ojukwu and four others were arraigned by the police on Monday before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court for obstruction of justice and failing to report a crime to the law enforcement agencies.
Ojukwu, 57, and Babalola Disu, 42, were charged with obstructing the police from performing their duties and failing to report a crime to the police.
The other defendants – Jessica Egbochi, 28; Abayomi Olutayo, 23; and Ifeoluwa Olowu, 23, were accused of receiving stolen items.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution counsel, Cyril Ajiofor, alleged that the defendants committed the offences on June 18 and 23, 2021 at Computer Village in Ikeja, and Alagomeji in Yaba.
He informed the court that Ojukwu prevented the police from arresting his daughter, Chidinma, while the second defendant, Disu, failed to report Ataga’s death to the police.
According to Ajiofor, the other three defendants dishonestly received a MacBook valued at N2.5 million and an iPhone 7 worth N150,000 belonging to the deceased.
He stated that the offences contravened Sections 97, 117, 328, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
In her ruling, Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo granted each defendant N1 million bail with two sureties each in the like sum, who must make a deposit of N20,000 into the coffers of the Chief Registrar.
She adjourned further proceedings until September 6.
Meanwhile, Chidinma Ojukwu has been remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services.
A Lagos State Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in the Yaba area gave the order on Monday when she and one Adedapo Quadri were brought before the court by the Lagos State Police Command over alleged conspiracy and murder of the victim.
When the case was called, they, however, could not take their plea because the magistrate court was not constitutionally empowered to try the offence.
After listening to the police, the Magistrate, Adeola Adedayo, ordered that the defendants be kept in prison for the next 30 days to allow for investigations to be completed, and pending the release of legal advice on the matter by the state’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
While moving the remand application, police prosecutor, Cyril Ajiofor, stated that the application was based on Section 264 Subsections 1 and 2 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
Ajiofor informed the court that a 12-page affidavit – statements of the defendants and exhibit to show that the file has been duplicated to the DPP for legal advice – had been attached to the remand application.
“We are praying for the remand of the defendants for the first count of murder,” he stated.
Representing the first defendant, Babajide Martins, who is the Director of the Office of Public Defender, said the remand application was “inevitable”.
Martins who was not opposed to the application urged the prosecution team to make necessary documents available to the defence before being brought before the court.
Ataga was found dead with multiple stabs on June 16 at a short-let apartment on Adebowale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase I where he had checked in with his lover, Chidinma.
Chidinma was consequently arrested on June 23 in her father’s house in Yaba and paraded at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja.
The 50-year-old deceased was buried on July 30 in a low-key ceremony attended by his family members, including his wife, and friends.
