Court orders remand of suspected killer of Super TV CEO

A magistrate court in Yaba, Lagos, has given an order for the remand of Chidinma Ojukwu, the suspected killer of Usifo Ataga, for 30 days.

The magistrate, Adeola Adedayo, gave the order following a remand application by the police prosecutor.

Ms Ojukwu, a 300-level student of the University of Lagos, was arrested by the police on June 23 for allegedly killing Mr Usifo, the chief executive officer of Super TV.

Ms Ojukwu, who was allegedly dating the deceased, had narrated how she stabbed him several times, stole from him and left him in an apartment where they both lodged in Lekki. She said she did so in self defence.

Making a remand application on Monday, Cyril Ajifor, the police prosecutor, said the application was made pursuant to section 264 subsections 1 and 2 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

Ms Ojukwu appeared before the magistrate alongside a co-defendant in the case, Quadri Adedapo.

Mr Ajifor said attached to the remand application is a 12-page affidavit, statements of the defendants, and exhibit to show that the file has been duplicated to the DPP for legal advice.

“We are praying for the remand of the defendants for the first count,” Mr Ajifor said.

Representing the first defendant, Babajide Martins, Director of the Office of Public Defender said the remand application is “inevitable.”

Mr Martins, who did not oppose the application, enjoined the prosecution team to make necessary documents available to the defence before being brought before the court.

In her ruling, the magistrate granted the remand of the defendants for 30 days.

“In the absence of anything to the contrary, the two defendants are remanded for 30 days in the first instance,” Mrs Adedayo said.

She adjourned the matter to September 5 for the review of remand and legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution.