Recall that Chidinma, who is standing trial for the alleged murder of Ataga, alongside her sister and third defendant, Chioma Egbuchu, and second defendant Adedapo Quadri, has been on trial since October 12, 2021, when they were arraigned at the high court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) before Justice Yetunde Adesanya.
At the resumption of proceedings, the prosecution played the video recording from a Compact Disc (CD) on a large screen in the courtroom. The footage showed Ataga lying on the floor facing up with his hands spread open, wearing a white singlet and boxers stained with blood. His head was close to the wall and there was blood on the floor on his right-hand side. There were also large blood stains on the floor, the pillow, and the duvet cover.
“After I got the place on Sunday, we were smoking loud, drinking, watching movies and then I went to get food. The drug we were taking got finished and I ordered another one and went downstairs to get it from the delivery guy in the morning; that was on June 14, 2021.
“Then on Tuesday, we drank and smoked loud and I added Rophynol to his drink and we had sex. I was on the bed and he was on the chair. Then later he started disturbing me for more sex. I was tired and after struggling with him, he had his way and still wanted more.
“He wanted it, he was no longer himself and I thought he was no more interested in sex, only for him to return to the bed to ask for more sex. I pushed him away, which resulted in him hitting his head against a stool that had a glass. He had a cut on his leg and he became weak.
“I got a knife and stabbed him in the neck, ribs and stomach so that he would not be able to harm me. I tied his hands with hand kerchief. His blood was out and I was scared. I just packed everything, my clothes were also stained with blood, I just packed my things and left.
“I took the knife and handkerchief and when I got home, I threw the knife and handkerchief away. Michael (Ataga) was a friend, that we just talked. I didn’t know him that deep and we did not talk regularly.” Chidinma said in the video.
When she was asked in the video if she was assisted in killing the deceased, she replied, “There was nobody that assisted me, I did it alone.”
During examination in chief by prosecution counsel Mrs. Adenike Oluwafemi, Bamidele said the police recovered some items from the defendant’s house, including a small pink purse containing two syringes, eight pieces of Rophynol tablets, two sanitary pads, a small perfume, jewellery, an iPhone, a notebook, a diary, and an HP laptop.
Other items were the defendant’s ID card with her name, Ojukwu Chidinma Adora, Ataga’s driving licence, Ojukwu’s UBA ATM card, a Super net ID card with Ataga’s name, and three other cards that had the deceased’s name and six blank complimentary cards, among others.
In a short ruling, Justice Adesanya dismissed the defendant’s objection and admitted the items in evidence and adjourned till October 12, for the continuation of the trial.
Meanwhile, Chidinma had in an interview with crime fighters in July 2021 weeks after her arrest denied killing the businessman.
She claimed that she had nothing to do with the murder but only found Ataga’s corpse after returning to the service apartment where both of them had lodged. Read here.
