A witness, Mr Rotimi Albert, in the ongoing trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the murder of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga, has narrated how Ataga’s family and friends searched for him but only found his body in the mortuary on his birthday.
Albert made the revelation on Tuesday while giving evidence as to the fourth prosecution witness, before a Lagos High Court, sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
Ojukwu, an undergraduate, is facing trial alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri, for Ataga’s murder.
The witness, who introduced himself as a long-time schoolmate and family friend to the late Ataga, said he wanted to call the deceased on June 17, (his birthday), to send birthday wishes to him.
Albert said another of their mutual friends called him on the evening of June 16th and asked if he had seen or heard from Ataga. He said the mutual friend told him on the phone that no one had heard from Ataga Since Sunday (June 13).
The witness said he tried calling the deceased on phone, adding that his phone rang but there was no answer so he sent a message via Whatsapp, which according to him, delivered.
Albert said he observed that the deceased was online which showed on Whatsapp ‘last seen’.
“I was surprised when he didn’t return my calls nor reply to my messages.
“I started calling other friends to ask if anyone had seen him, even his siblings abroad called me to ask about Ataga’s whereabout. I told them I was also worried.
“His wife and family were also looking for him because they were supposed to celebrate his birthday with him in Abuja,” the witness said, adding that the wife to the deceased later reported the situation to the police.
He said, thereafter, the phone of the deceased was tracked and it was noticed that the phone was last used at the University of Lagos Guest House.
According to him, it was already late that June 16th, so the next day, (June 17th) he and a mutual friend went to the University’s guest house to search for Ataga’s vehicle but the vehicle was not there.
He said the phone tracker also indicated that the phone was used around the Aladimeji area.
Albert said the tracking became difficult because the movement kept changing.
“In the course of all these, we got a call that Usifo is deceased and in the mortuary.
“We, therefore, went to Panti Police Station, and we found out that the police had already visited the crime scene.
“After going to the crime scene, the police told us to go to the mortuary to identify the body so we went and confirmed it was Usifo Ataga.
“At the mortuary, I observed that he was assaulted with multiple stabbed wounds on his neck, abdomen, his side and leg.
“I also observed that his wrist had rope marks and deep indentations. That was how I got to know that my friend was deceased,” the witness said.
The witness was led in evidence by the Lagos State Director for Public Prosecutions, Mrs Adeyinka Adeyemi.
After his examination-in-chief, the witness was cross-examined by the first defendant’s counsel, Mr Onwuka Egwu.
The witness explained, however, that he was not the one checking and tracking the deceased phone and his bank transactions, but a mutual friend.
He also stated that he made a statement at the police station which was tendered by the defence counsel and it was admitted as evidence.
The counsel to the second and third defendants, Mr Babatunde Busari and Mr A. O. Ogunsanya, said they did not have any questions for the witness.
The prosecutor, however, asked for an adjournment to enable them to bring other evidence.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya, consequently, adjourned the case until February 14 for the continuation of trial.
The three suspects – Chidimma, her sister, Chioma Egbuchu; and Adedapo Quadri, were arraigned on October 12 on nine counts preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.
Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing, while the third defendant, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count of stealing the iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.
The first and second defendants were alleged to have conspired and murdered Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him severely with a knife in the neck and chest.
The alleged murder took place at No. 19, Adewale Oshin St., Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The duo was also accused of committing forgery by procuring and making bank account statements purported to have been made by the deceased.
