A Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square on Thursday rejected the no-case submissions filed by Chioma Egbuchu, the sister of Chidinma Ojukwu, and Adedapo Quadri, the second defendant in the ongoing murder trial of Michael Usifo Ataga, CEO of Super TV.
Quadri and Egbuchu had filed the no-case submissions in a bid to have the charges against them dropped, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the trial.
However, Justice Yetunde Adesanya ruled that there was a prima facie case against both defendants, as the prosecution had established enough material evidence for them to enter defence in the matter and thus, ordered them to open their defence.
Ojukwu, a former 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, is standing trial before the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
She is being prosecuted alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri for the murder of Ataga.
The defendants were arraigned on October 12, 2021, by the Lagos State Government.
Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, and stabbing while her sister, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count of stealing an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.
Both were 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 incident occurred at No. 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
When the case came up on Thursday, the prosecution announced an appearance, while the defendants were also represented.
The judge in her ruling held that in the written address by the second defendant, there was nothing that was mentioned or linked to Adedapo Quadri to the offences mentioned by the ninth prosecuting witness, DSP Olusegun Bamidele, in his testimony.
She said, “The duty of the court is not to analyse the charge but to examine the charge and if the evidence is established, then there is a case to answer and the no-case submission is overruled.
“The first defendant during interrogation and statement recording told PW9 that it was the second defendant that helped her with the preparation of a UBA Bank account with the name Mary Johnson, Access Bank Statement, driving licence and passport.
‘The second defendant, (Quadri) also, confessed that he helped the first defendant prepare the said documents.”
