Murder Trial: I Found Ataga In Pool Of Blood, Says Chidinma

Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the murder of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Michael Ataga, on Thursday, told a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square how she discovered Ataga’s lifeless body in a Lekki short-let apartment on June 15, 2021.

Testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya, the former 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos said she had returned from buying food and juice, knocked on the apartment door and, receiving no response, pushed it open to find blood on the floor and Ataga lying in a pool of blood.

“I dropped everything and rushed to him,” she said. “His eyes were half-shut and he had no pulse.”

Chidinma is standing trial for murder, conspiracy to murder, and stealing, alongside co-defendants Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu

Led in evidence by her counsel, Mr Onwuka Egwu, Chidinma detailed her relationship with Ataga, which she said began in November 2020 through a mutual friend, Fiyin, who was dating Ataga’s friend, James.

Describing Ataga as kind and supportive, she said he paid her school fees and financially supported her cosmetics business, Unseal Zone International, located on Murtala Mohammed Way.

She told the court that Ataga was from Edo State, lived in Victoria Garden City, worked in the media industry, and had three children with his estranged wife, who lived in Abuja.

Chidinma recounted that on June 13, 2021, while cooking at home, she received a call from Ataga.

After exchanging pleasantries, he told her his birthday was that Friday and invited her to spend time with him ahead of a planned family celebration.

According to her, Ataga said he would travel to Abuja to celebrate with his family, but wanted to mark it privately with her first and she agreed.

“He said the house at VGC was under construction and unavailable. I asked where we would go, and he suggested a hotel or apartment. I said he should be able to get one easily at VGC, but he preferred Lekki because of meetings he had scheduled,” she said.

She added that Ataga preferred an apartment to a hotel for a more homely feel and asked her to search for one.

“I couldn’t find a suitable apartment, but later, he sent me the address of one on 19, Adewale Street, off Ologolo Road, Lekki,” she testified.

Chidinma said she arrived at the apartment around 6 p.m. on June 13 and was eventually joined by Ataga