Chidinma Ojukwu, a 300-level student at the University of Lagos, who is currently on trial for the alleged murder of Super TV CEO Michael Ataga, told a Lagos State High Court on Monday that she refrained from reporting the incident to the police due to fear of being wrongfully accused.

While testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya at the Tafawa Balewa Square division of the court, Chidinma explained that her hesitation was rooted in prior reports of individuals being blamed after attempting to report crimes. She admitted that she had considered contacting the apartment’s gateman but ultimately hung up due to anxiety.

Chidinma, alongside co-defendants Adedapo Quadri and her sister Chioma Egbuchu, faces a nine-count charge including murder, theft, and forgery. She began presenting her defense on April 17, 2025, providing details about the events surrounding Ataga’s death in June 2021. According to her testimony, she noticed that Ataga’s WhatsApp account was active, even though she had seen him lying motionless in a pool of blood. Attempts to reach him by phone failed, leading her to suspect that someone else might have had access to his phone.

Chidinma recalled contacting the property’s gateman, Abu, who initially stated that Ataga had left the premises. However, Abu later confirmed that the victim’s vehicle was still at the scene. Chidinma said she then sent a message to Ataga, apologizing and asking for forgiveness, saying, “I didn’t mean to leave you in that state. I was very scared,” after which she was blocked from his number.

In her testimony, Chidinma explained that on June 18, 2021, she took two laptops—a MacBook and an HP—to Computer Village, one for repair and the other to sell. She claimed the MacBook was a gift and negotiated its sale for ₦495,000. On June 20, she contacted her sister Chioma, who arrived in Lagos on June 22. Since Chioma had lost her phone in April, Chidinma gave her an old iPhone 7 Plus.

Chidinma recounted her arrest by the police on June 23, 2021, when both she and her father were handcuffed and taken to the Panti police station. She told the court that she informed the officers that she had fled the crime scene out of fear and denied having possession of Ataga’s belongings. Chidinma further alleged that a police officer, Bamidele, presented a blank statement form and pressured her to write a statement without legal representation. She claimed that when she insisted on having a lawyer present, Bamidele threatened to arrest her family, including her 10-year-old sister.

According to Chidinma, Bamidele tore up her initial statement and forced her to rewrite it after showing her images from the crime scene. She said the officer claimed that a robe used to tie Ataga belonged to her, which she denied, explaining, “I told him I couldn’t have tied Michael up. He was a huge man.”

The trial is ongoing as the court continues to hear testimony and examine evidence in this high-profile case, which has garnered significant public attention since 2021.