The no-case submission hearing in the ongoing trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, charged with the murder of Super TV Chief Executive Officer Michael Usifo Ataga, was stalled yesterday due to the absence of the third defendant’s counsel.

Ojukwu is facing trial with her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and Adedapo Quadri at the Lagos State High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square. The Lagos State Government arraigned the three defendants on October 12, 2021.

Ojukwu and Quadri are charged with conspiracy, murder, and stabbing, while Egbuchu faces charges of stealing an iPhone 7 belonging to the deceased. Ojukwu and Quadri are accused of conspiring and murdering Ataga on June 15, 2021, by stabbing him multiple times in the neck and chest at No. 19 Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

The prosecution, which called 11 witnesses during the trial, closed its case, paving the way for the defence to present its case.

However, instead of opening their defence, the second and third defendants filed a no-case submission, challenging the charges.

During the trial, Ojukwu had testified in a trial-within-trial that she was coerced into signing statements written by the police. She alleged that officers, including Assistant Superintendent of Police Olusegun Bamidele and Olufunke Madeyinlo, forced her to sign statements against her will.

However, on May 4, 2023, Justice Yetunde Adesanya ruled that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that Ojukwu made the statements voluntarily and not under duress.

At the resumed hearing for the no-case submission, the case could not proceed due to the absence of Egbuchu’s counsel, C.J. Jikaponna, who had sent a letter to the court requesting an adjournment, citing another matter at the Federal High Court.

In response to the letter, Babatunde Busari, counsel for the second defendant, Adedapo Quadri, informed the court that his client’s no-case submission had been prepared and was unrelated to the third defendant’s application.

He stated that Quadri’s submission was dated May 5, 2024, with the prosecution’s reply received on June 19, 2024. Busari expressed his intention to adopt the submission, but Justice Adesanya declined to hear the case without Egbuchu’s counsel present.

Consequently, Justice Adesanya adjourned the case to December 5, 2024, for the hearing of the no-case submission.