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Usifo Ataga: Chidinma to testify Thursday in trial-within-trial

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The prime suspect in the murder of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, Chidinma Ojukwu, will on Thursday testify before a Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, in a trial within trial to ascertain whether she was coaxed, pressured or induced to make a statement that she killed Ataga by herself.

Chidinma, a 300-level Mass Communication undergraduate, of the University of Lagos, is standing trial over the alleged murder of Ataga.

She is also charged with stealing and forgery alongside one Adedapo Quadri and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the Deputy Director of Prosecution, Adenike Oluwafemi, told the court that the matter was for the continuation of a trial within trial and that her witness (Olufunke Madeyinlo) was in court.

The first defendant’s counsel, Onwuka Egwu, announced his appearance, while the second defendant’s counsel, Babatunde Busari, as well as the third defendant’s counsel, F.O Ilesanmi, also announced their appearance.

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Oluwafemi then called the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Madeyinlo, who was part of the team that arrested and interrogated the first defendant, to give her testimony in the trial within trial.

Madeyinlo said on June 24, 2021, the Officer-in-Charge of the Homicide Section, Panti, Yaba, Razak Oseni, brought Chidinma to her office to write a statement.

She said she gave Chidinma a statement form and a pen, thereafter, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, SCID, Panti, Yaba, Adegoke Fayoade, sent for Oseni and he left the first defendant in her office.

The witness, who testified as the second prosecution witness in the trial within trial, said after about 40 minutes, Oseni came back to her office to collect the statement Chidinma had written.

Madeyinlo said, “Oseni collected the statement and went away with the first defendant, but nothing happened and nobody forced her to write the statement; she wrote the statement herself.”

During cross-examination by Chidinma’s lawyer, Egwu, the witness said she shared her office with three other officers, ASP Gbolahan Jemiyo, ASP Gbola Alabi, and Inspector Kolawole Lukman.

READ  Usifo Ataga: How Chidinma fatally stabbed deceased

When asked if it was after Jemiyo had assaulted Ojukwu that her statement was taken, Madeyinlo said it was only herself and Alabi that were present when the defendant made her statement.

Asked if she interacted with Chidinma while she was writing her statement, Madeyinlo answered in the affirmative.

Egwu asked the witness if she gave a 10-year-old girl her wrapper to cover herself for the night between June 23 and 24, 2021, she said she could not remember as it had been long.

When confronted with the fact that the foster father of the first defendant, Onoh Ojukwu, was also in custody within the same period, Madeyinlo said, “I saw (Onoh) Ojukwu moving freely. Somebody that is in custody cannot be moving like that.”

Asked if she knew what happened to the statement Chidinma made on June 24, the witness answered that she did not know.

However, Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case till October 17, for the first defendant to testify in the trial within trial.

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UPDATED: EFCC declares Yahaya Bello wanted over N80bn ‘financial crime’

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi state, wanted over alleged N80 billion financial crimes.

 

The anti-graft commission has asked anyone with useful information on Bello’s whereabouts to contact the commission or the nearest police station.

 

“The public is hereby notified that YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO (former Governor of Kogi State), whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with alleged case of Money Laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo),” statement reads.

 

“Bello, 48-year old Ebiraman, is a native of Okenne Local Government of Kogi State. His last known address is: 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.

“Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja offices.”

READ  Super TV chief’s murder: UNILAG confirms Chidinma’s studentship

 

On Wednesday, some EFCC operatives barricaded Bello’s Abuja residence.

 

Some hours after, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at Bello’s residence and was said to have left with the former governor in his vehicle.

 

But Abdulwahab Muhammed, Bello’s lawyer, said his client was in his state when the EFCC operatives besieged his residence.

Bello was absent in court earlier today when the EFCC arraigned him.

 

His arraignment came after a warrant of arrest and enrolment order was granted to the EFCC by the court on Wednesday.

 

“It is needful to state that Bello is not above the law and would be brought to justice as soon as possible,” EFCC said in a statement on Wednesday.

 

The federal high court in Abuja adjourned the case against Bello, Alli Bello, chief of staff to Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi; and one Daudu Suleiman, to April 23.

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DNA: Court orders substituted service on Mohbad’s wife

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A Magistrate Court sitting in the Ikorodu area of Lagos has ordered that Wunmi, the wife of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba popularly known as Mohbad, be served notice of a pending DNA test application, by substituted means.

 

A statement signed by a member of the legal team to the Aloba family, Monisola Odumosu, disclosed this on Wednesday maintaining that the order became necessary after the court sheriff attempted to serve the court process personally on Wunmi twice, but failed.

 

It will be recalled that the Aloba family is contesting the paternity of baby Liam and filed an application before the Family Court to grant an order against Wunmi to present herself and baby Liam for a DNA test at any recognised laboratory in Lagos.

 

In the application filed by the legal team to Joseph Aloba, father to the late singer, the family sought an order to serve Wunmi the court papers for the DNA, by posting all the originating processes and other processes in the suit on the last-known address of the respondent.

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Odumosu said, “If the process were served on the last-known address of the respondent by Order of the Court, it would constitute good service and she would be aware of the pending suit. The Chief Magistrate granted the order and ordered that the respondent be served by posting the court process on her last known address.

 

The statement added that the singer’s wife, in a viral video, said she was ready for a DNA test, noting that she had never been available for the court sheriff to serve her the originating motion.

 

Odumosu also added that the matter had been adjourned till next month for the report of service.

 

Counsel to Wunmi, Taiwo Olawanle, has however denied knowledge of the court order.

 

He said, “We don’t have the court order. If we have an order, we will advise her to adhere to it. That is not a problem. But we are not aware of any order”.

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Mohbad, aged 27, died on September 12, 2023, under controversial circumstances. He had left his
record label, Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, in February 2022.

 

In September, 2023, The singer’s body was exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.

 

The Lagos State Police Command had in the same September also inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.

 

His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, amongst others.

 

At the last sitting of the Coroner inquiring into the cause of his death on March 2024, the Director of the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, Dr Richard Somiari, had indicated that the results of an autopsy conducted on the deceased body would be ready in the next three to four weeks.

 

Somiari gave the assurance while testifying before the coroner, Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi.

READ  Super TV chief’s murder: UNILAG confirms Chidinma’s studentship

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NCos moves Bobrisky from Ikoyi to Kirkiri prison

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Embattled cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky, who was sentenced to a six-month jail term for abusing the Naira, has been transferred from the Ikoyi Correctional Center to the Kirikiri Prison by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS).

 

This is contrary to reports that Bobrisky is still being held at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.

 

According to reports, the popular cross-dresser is presently held at the Kirikiri Prison and was discreetly transferred since last weekend to Kirikiri.

 

, “It is procedural that he is moved to Kirikiri since it is an expansive prison compared to what we have here,” s dourve said.

The added that due to security reasons, Okuneye was quietly moved to the facility where he will serve his term.

 

It would be recalled that Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Lagos sentenced the cross-dresser to six months imprisonment.

While sentencing the convict on Friday, April 12, 2024, the judge said the verdict would serve as deterrent to others who are fond of abusing and mutilating the naira.

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Bobrisky is being identified as a male based on his admission at the court last week and according to reports that there is no realignment of gender or genital organs.

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