By Stephen — Dalena Reporters
November 26, 2025
LAGOS — At the Lagos State High Court, Tafawa Balewa Square, the high-profile murder trial of university undergraduate Chidinma Ojukwu took a dramatic turn on Tuesday as she expressed remorse over the death of Super TV CEO Michael Usifo Ataga, whose body was found in a short-let apartment in Lekki on June 15, 2021.
Under cross-examination by the prosecution, led by Mr. Y. Sule, the 24-year-old defendant was asked directly if she regretted the death of the deceased. Her response: “I regret that he died.”
Chidinma — who is being tried alongside her sister Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri on multiple counts of murder, conspiracy, and theft — also denied being the last person to see Ataga alive or leaving the short-let apartment with his gadgets. She refuted claims that she took his phones and MacBook after his death.
The prosecution had confronted her with evidence, including two receipts from Phone Hub, showing she swapped her iPhone and later sold her MacBook Pro for ₦495,000. Ojukwu admitted she visited the outlet to sell the MacBook, but denied that she had prior knowledge of how the documents would be used as evidence.
When asked whether the sale occurred after Ataga’s death, she conceded that the transaction took place “days after” she left the apartment. She stated that the MacBook was a birthday gift and claimed the donor provided the receipt. Under re-examination, she told the court she had been a 300-level Mass Communication student before her arrest, and that she lacked technical expertise in operating computers or mobile devices.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya, presiding over the case, has adjourned the trial until February 9, 2026, for continuation. The defence team indicated they would call around four witnesses, while the prosecution has already called over ten.
The case remains one of Nigeria’s most closely watched criminal trials. Ataga was discovered in a pool of blood inside the apartment with multiple stab wounds. Police investigations, video evidence, and forensic reports have formed the core of the prosecution’s case. Still, the defence maintains Chidinma’s innocence. She has repeatedly denied murder, claiming to have found Ataga’s lifeless body and fled the scene out of fear.
Observers say Tuesday’s drama — Chidinma’s admission of regret, accompanied by firm denials of key allegations — may signal a shift in her legal strategy. For now, the courtroom remains tense, and the public remains riveted. Dalena Reporters will continue to monitor the proceedings and provide updates as the trial resumes.