Police detective tells court how Chidinma spiked Ataga’s drink

The trial of Chidinma Ojukwu over the alleged murder of Super TV CEO Michael Ataga continued on Tuesday before Justice Yetunde Adesanya of a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.

A prosecution witness, DSP Olusegun Bamidele, in his testimony, told the court how police discovered during investigation that Super TV CEO, Michael Ataga’s drink was spiked.

It should be noted that a 300-level Mass Communication student at the University of Lagos, Ojukwu is standing trial alongside Adedapo Quadri and Chioma Egbuchu over the murder of Mr Ataga.

During the hearing at the last adjourned date, Bamidele informed the court that during his investigation, Ojukwu confessed to spiking Ataga’s drink, adding that he believed the first defendant’s confession.

However, at the resumed hearing, Quadri’s Counsel, Mr Babatunde Busari, asked the witness to show in the statements of the first and second defendants where it was written that the deceased’s drink had been spiked before his death.

The witness answered that it was established during the investigation.

Furthermore, the witness testified that Ojukwu and the deceased smoked some substances and drank alcohol together.

He said the deceased and Ojukwu ordered more sets of the substance when the first set finished.

Bamidele stated that the first defendant made it known in her statement.

The witness said it was a dispatch rider who delivered the additional substance that Ojukwu and the late Ataga smoked.

According to the witness, all efforts made to get the dispatch rider proved abortive.

After listening to the cross-examination, Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case until February 20 for continuation of trial.

Chidinma Ojukwu and two others were arraigned by the Lagos State Government on October 12, 2021.

Ojukwu and Quadri are facing first to eight count charges bordering on conspiracy, murder, and stabbing while her sister, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count of stealing an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.