The Lagos State government has filed charges against Ms Chidinma Ojukwu and one other person, Adedapo Quadri for the murder of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Michael Ataga.
The suspects who were brought before a Chief Magistrate court sitting in the Yaba area of Lagos were led into the courtroom around 9 am on Monday, September 6.
Ripples Nigeria reported that Ms Ojukwu, a 21-year-old student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) was arrested by the police on June 23 for allegedly killing Ataga at a short-let apartment in Lekki.
It would be recalled that Ms Ojukwu and Quadri were presented before the Chief Magistrate court on August 9 by the police to seek their remand in custody, which was granted by the magistrate.
The magistrate had ordered the two be remanded for 30 days at the first instance to allow the police to continue with its investigation of the murder case and also advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Re-appearing before the magistrate on Monday Counsel to the police, Cyril Ajiofor told Magistrate Adeola Adedayo that the police has received legal advice from DPP on the case, recommending their trial for murder, saying that the suspects would be arraigned at the High Court which has jurisdiction over such matters.
According to the DPP’s advice dated August 20, sighted by Ripples Nigeria, after careful consideration of facts available in the case file, a prima facie case of conspiracy, forgery and murder exists against, Ms Ojukwu and Quadri, while a prima facie case of stealing exists against Ms Ojukwu alone.
The DPP also established the offence of having possession of a stolen item against one Egbuchu Chioma said to be Ms Ojukwu’s elder sister, from whom the deceased’s iPhone 7 was said to have been recovered.
“After careful consideration of facts available in the case, this office is of the firm view that a prima facie case of conspiring to murder, murder, conspiracy to commit felony to wit; forgery, forgery and making documents without authority contrary to sections 233, 222, 411, 363 and 370 respectively of the Criminal Law of Lagos State exists against Ojukwu Chindinma Adaora and Adedapo Quadri.
“Facts available also establish the offence of having possession of a thing reasonably suspected to have been stolen contrary to section 329 of Criminal Law of Lagos against Egbuchu Chioma,” the advice partly read.
Ripples Nigeria also learnt that the DPP Director, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi had gone ahead to file a charge against the three suspects at the Lagos High Court, but is yet to get a date for the hearing of the case.
Meanwhile, the DPP cleared 11 other suspects and asked that they should be released as no offence had been disclosed against them in respect to the case.
The 11 people are Ms Ojukwu’s father, Ojukwu Onoh, Babalola Disu, Olowu Ifeoluwa, Olutayo Abayomi, Nkechi Mogbo, Tony Okonye, Damilola Adekoya, Bola Adekoya, Segun Akinsanya, Oluwatoni Dada and Adams Kenneth.
Following the development, Magistrate Adedayo discharged Mr Ojukwu, Disu, Olutayo and Olowu who had earlier been arraigned by the police for obstruction of justice and failing to report a crime to the law enforcement agencies.
The Magistrate Court ordered the further remand of Chidinma and the two others to be tried and adjourned till Sept 29 to await further Information from the DPP as to the status of the case at the High Court.
