Justice Yetunde Adesanya of a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), was yesterday told that there was an amorous relationship between Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged killer of the Chief Executive Office of Super TV, Usifo Ataga and her the foster father, Ojukwu Onoh.
A prosecution witness, Deputy Superintendent of Police, (DSP), Olusegun Bamidele, disclosed this while being cross-examined by Chidinma’s counsel, Mr. Onwuka Egwu, during trial within trial to determine the voluntariness of the defendant’s statement.
Bamidele, who is serving with the homicide department of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti Yaba, said Ojukwu volunteered a statement without duress to the police when she was arrested.
The police officer told the court that it was during investigation that the police stumbled on intelligence, that there was an amorous relationship between the first defendant and her foster father.
He added that they discovered that Mr. Ojukwu was not sincere with the police.
Ojukwu, a supposed 300 level Mass Communication undergraduate of the University of Lagos, is standing trial with his sister, Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri over murder, stealing and forgery.
At the resumed proceeding, the state counsel, Ms. T. E. Onilaja informed the court that the court adjourned the case for trial within trial at the last date.
During the last proceeding, when the prosecution counsel sought to tender the written statements of the defendants, Chidinma’s counsel Onwuka Egwu, objected to the admissibility of the documents.
He said that she didn’t make the statements voluntarily; that the statements were obtained by oppression, inducement intimidation and under duress and urged the court to test the veracity of the voluntariness of the statements.
However, Bamidele in his evidence, narrated to the court how Ojukwu’s statement was obtained when she was arrested. He told the court that the defendant’s statement was not obtained under duress or inducement.
He described his office setting and environment to the court, noting that Ojukwu wrote part of her statements by herself, but because her handwriting was not eligible, he helped her to write.
According to DSP Bamidele, when the first defendant (Ojukwu) was brought to his office after she was arrested, she requested for water and told him she was not eating.
The witness told the court that the statement was dated June 24, 2021 and that Chidinma wrote another statement in the evening of same date with her handwriting , which was supervised by his colleague, ASP Funke Madeyinlo.
Bamidele further told the court that he interacted with her in a hall, which he described as having capacity for over 300 people, with a podium.
After listening to his evidence, the judge adjourned to November 10, 2022 for further trial within trial.
