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Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-level student at the University of Lagos, told a Lagos State High Court on Monday that she did not report the death of Super TV CEO Michael Ataga to the police because she feared being wrongly accused.
Testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya at the Tafawa Balewa Square division of the court, Ojukwu said her hesitation stemmed from previous cases where individuals were allegedly blamed after reporting crimes. She admitted she had considered notifying the apartment’s gateman but ended the call out of anxiety.
Ojukwu, alongside co-defendants Adedapo Quadri and her sister Chioma Egbuchu, faces a nine-count charge including murder, theft, and forgery. She began her defence on April 17, 2025, recounting events surrounding Ataga’s death in June 2021.
According to her testimony, she noticed Ataga’s WhatsApp account was active even though she had seen him lying motionless in a pool of blood. Repeated attempts to reach him by phone were unsuccessful, leading her to suspect that someone else may have had access to his device.
She said she contacted the apartment’s security man, Abu, who initially claimed Ataga had left the premises. He later acknowledged, however, that Ataga’s vehicle was still parked there. Ojukwu said she subsequently sent a message to Ataga, apologizing and asking for forgiveness. “I didn’t mean to leave you in that state. I was very scared,” she wrote. She claimed she was blocked shortly afterward.
Ojukwu told the court that on June 18, 2021, she took two laptops—an HP and a MacBook—to Computer Village, one for repair and the other to sell. She said the MacBook had been a gift and that she eventually sold it for ₦495,000. On June 20, she contacted her sister Chioma, who arrived in Lagos on June 22. As Chioma had lost her phone in April, Ojukwu said she gave her an old iPhone 7 Plus.
She recounted being arrested on June 23, 2021, alleging that she and her father were handcuffed and taken to Panti. She told the court she fled the crime scene out of fear and denied being in possession of Ataga’s belongings.
Ojukwu further testified that a police officer, Bamidele, presented her with a blank statement form and instructed her to write a statement without a lawyer. When she insisted on legal representation, she claimed Bamidele threatened to arrest her family, including her 10-year-old sister.
According to her, Bamidele later tore up her initial statement and forced her to rewrite it after showing her crime scene photos. She said he accused her of owning a robe allegedly used to tie Ataga, a claim she denied. “I told him I couldn’t have tied Michael up. He was a huge man,” she said.
The trial continues as the court hears further testimony and evidence in the high-profile case that has captured national attention since 2021.
