An investigative Police officer from the Maroko Police Station at Lekki in Lagos has told Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos High Court, sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square Annex, how police discovered the corpse of Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga in his pool of blood and evacuated it.
Ibrahim Isiaka who was led in his evidence in chief, by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Adenike Oluwafemi, said that on June 16, 2021, he was on night duty when a case of murder was reported by the owner of the service apartment where Mr Ataga was murdered.
The witness who said he has been in the Police Force for 28 years, said that based on the nature of the case, on June 17, 2021, the case was immediately transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti.
According to him, a team of detectives from the SCID’s Homicide section asked him to follow them to the scene of crime, and when they got there, the apartment door was opened and they discovered that things were scattered in the apartment. He added that the police team also found some items from the traveling bag of the deceased at the apartment and picked them, for investigation.
The Prosecuting counsel also sought to tender the witness’ statement during the investigation as evidence but the second defendant’s counsel, Babatunde Busari, objected that the statement was an extrajudicial statement and so, inadmissible.
But Justice Adesanya, in a short ruling, said the objection failed and overruled it.
The case was adjourned to February 21, 2022 for continuation of trial.
A 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos, Chidinma Ojukwu and one Adedapo Quadri are standing trial over the murder, while Chioma Egbuchu is being tried for being found with the deceased’s iPhone 7.
