The High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos is scheduled to resume the trial of Chidinma Ojukwu on October 15, 2024. Ojukwu, a 300-level Mass Communication student at the University of Lagos, faces charges in connection with the murder of Usifo Ataga, the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV.
Ojukwu, along with her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and Adedapo Quadri, were first arraigned on October 12, 2021, by the Lagos State Government. While Ojukwu and Quadri are facing multiple counts, including conspiracy, murder, and stabbing, Egbuchu is charged with a separate count of stealing an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.
In a hearing held earlier in April, Dr. Richard Somiari, a Director and Consultant at the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, testified that a blood sample found on Ojukwu’s red dress matched the DNA of Usifo Ataga. Somiari, who has over 15 years of experience in forensic analysis and has conducted more than 500 forensic tests, served as the 11th prosecution witness in the case.
Led in evidence by Mrs. Adenike Oluwafemi, the Lagos State Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Somiari provided details of the forensic analysis conducted. His office had received 21 different items related to the case, including a stained red dress, an army green t-shirt, and a DNA sample from Ojukwu, along with other biological samples that were retained for toxicology reports.
The forensic goal, according to Somiari, was to establish an evidence triangle linking the suspect, the crime scene, and the victim. He confirmed that the DNA found on the red dress matched Ataga’s but did not match Ojukwu or the other suspects, Babalola Disu and Oluwatomi Dada.
The toxicology report, which was submitted to the Attorney-General of Lagos, the Commissioner of Police, and the Director of Public Prosecutions, was also discussed. When questioned about a report by Dr. Andrea Nuhu, Somiari clarified that as he is not a toxicologist, he could not speak to that report.
During the trial, the defense requested that a video of the crime scene be played, which the court allowed. When asked if the blood samples found on various items at the scene were tested, Somiari responded that those samples had not been submitted, and the markers in his report were unrelated to the video evidence.
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