Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the murder of of Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga, has pled not guilty to the charges leveled against her.
The 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos pleaded her case on Tuesday during her arraignment before before Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
The 22-year-old along with one Adedapo Quadri, are the key suspects in the murder of Ataga.
Chidinma’s sister, Egbuchu Chioma from whom the late Ataga’s iPhone 7, was said to have been recovered, was also arraigned on Tuesday.
Chidinma and Quadri pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge preferred against them.
They were accused of murder, forgery and stealing.
Chioma, however, pleaded not guilty to the 9th count of being in possession of the stolen property.
They are being prosecuted by the Lagos State Department of Public Prosecution, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi.
It can be recalled that Chronicle NG reported how Chidinma had denied killing Ataga few weeks after confessing to his murder.
Chidinma had allegedly been in a romantic relationship with the 50-year-old Ataga for about four months before the incident.
The undergraduate, in her confessional statement when she was paraded, said she and Ataga were “having fun” when an argument broke out and she stabbed him twice.
Chidinma, in a recent interview with Crime Fighters, said she admitted to killing Ataga at the time because of pressure and the fact that nobody believed her.
The undergraduate also claimed she had met the deceased in a pool of his blood when she returned from where she had gone to get food and drugs for the pair.
“I didn’t involve anybody. I don’t know who must have come into the apartment. Definitely, somebody did that but I don’t know who that person is.
“I don’t know what happened when I left the room to buy food. Because of what I did after by not alerting the police and also withdrawing money from his account, I feel guilty for what happened but I did not kill him.
“I believe someone knew where we were and waited till I left before they entered. Due to pressure and insistence of the security operatives that nobody entered the room apart from the two, I resolved that since no one believed me, let me just take the blame.
“No one is influencing my statements. I have not spoken to anyone since my arrest, not even my relation or anybody close to me
“I just withdrew the money because he had already promised me, it’s not like I had anything to do with his death. I don’t have anything to do with his death,” she said.
