Wednesday's proceedings in the trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged killer of Usifo Ataga, the CEO of Super TV, were postponed due to the prosecution's inability to react to her written address.
Undergraduate Ojukwu is on trial in Tafawa Balewa Square before the Lagos State High Court for the alleged murder of Ataga.
Along with her sister Chioma Egbuchu and another person named Adedapo Quadri, she is also accused of stealing and forging documents.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the court adopted written addresses in a trial-within-trial on November 17, 2022, scheduled for January 11, to determine if the defendant's statement at a police station was given willingly.
The defendant testified before the court that the police had smacked her and had her sign written statements.
In his testimony during the trial-within-a-trial, Ojukwu stated as much.
During her defence, the defendant claimed that Olufunke Madeyinlo and ASP Olusegun Bamidele forced her to sign documents against her will.
She added that after ripping her testimony, Bamidele instructed her to read the police commissioner his written statement.
The prosecution received Ojukwu's written address last week, according to the prosecution's attorney, Mr T. E. Onilade, who spoke to the court during the resumed hearing on Wednesday.
Onilade said, “The first defendant’s address was served on us during the festive period; we only received service last week but we have not replied.”
Ojukwu’s counsel, Mr O. Okemezie, confirmed that the address was dated Dec. 23, 2022, adding that there was a motion on notice in support of the written discourse as well as a seven-paragraph affidavit.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case until Feb. 13 for the adoption of the written addresses.
NAN reports that the defendants were arraigned on Oct.12, 2021, on a nine-count charge preferred by Lagos State Government.
Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts of conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.
The third defendant, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count – stealing an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.
Ojukwu and Quadri are alleged to have conspired and murdered Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him several times with a knife in the neck and chest.
The duo was also accused of committing forgery by procuring and making bank statements of accounts purported to have been made by the deceased.
The alleged murder took place at No.19, Adewale Oshin St., Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State. (NAN)