Chidinma Ojukwu has expressed regrets over the death of Super TV Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Ataga, for whose alleged murder she is standing trial at the Lagos High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square.
Ms Ojukwu, who has persistently denied allegation of killing Mr Ataga, confirmed regretting the businessman’s death under cross-examination by the prosecution during her trial on Tuesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendant is standing trial alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri, on charges of murder, conspiracy, and stealing.
They had each pleaded not guilty to the charges.
When trial resumed on Tuesday, Y. A. Sule announced appearance for the prosecution.
Cross-examining Ms Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the murder case, the prosecutor asked her if she regretted the death of the deceased.
In response, Ms Ojukwu told the court that she regretted Mr Ataga’s death.
“I regret that he died,” she said.
Ms Ojukwu further told the court that she was not the last person to see Mr Ataga alive and also denied leaving the apartment with his gadgets.
The prosecutor had confronted the defendant with allegations that she took Mr Ataga’s gadgets after his death.
He had also asked her about the phones and MacBook in her possession at the time of her arrest and further asked if she understood how mobile devices and laptops operated.
Mr Sule presented two receipts showing her transactions with Phone Hub, where she had reportedly swapped her iPhone.
In response, Ms Ojukwu denied having prior knowledge of the documents, but admitted that she visited the outlet to sell her MacBook Pro for N495,000.
She added that the company paid the money into her Sterling Bank account.
When the prosecution sought to tender the documents in evidence, defence counsel Onwuka Egwu raised an objection.
He argued that the prosecution was ambushing the defendant with documents that had not been previously disclosed, contrary to legal requirements.
Trial judge Yetunde Adesanya overruled the objection and admitted the documents as being relevant evidence.
The prosecution then asked whether the transaction took place after Mr Ataga’s death, and the defendant replied that it occurred days after she had left the apartment.
She added that her personal details appeared on the phone recovered by the police and that she had continued to use it to make calls after leaving the apartment.
When the prosecutor asked whether the MacBook was a birthday gift and if she had the receipt, the defendant confirmed that it was a birthday gift and that the person who gave it to her also gave her the receipt.
Meanwhile, during re-examination, defence counsel asked about Ms Ojukwu’s educational background.
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In response, she told the court that she was a 300-level Mass Communication student before her arrest, adding that she had no expertise in information technology.
The court adjourned further proceedings till 9 February 2026 for continuation of trial.
NAN reports that Ms Ojukwu is the first witness for the defence.
The defence informed the court that they intend to call about four witnesses.
NAN reports that on its part, the prosecution had called about 10 witnesses.
It was reported that Ms Ojukwu and Mr Ataga were lodged together at a short-let apartment in Lagos, where the police later found the body of the deceased in a pool of blood.
The case, which began in 2021, is now in its fifth year.
(NAN)
