November 26, (THEWILL) — Chidinma Ojukwu, the 23-year-old undergraduate accused of killing Super TV CEO, Michael Usifo Ataga, on Tuesday told a Lagos High Court that she regrets his death as the high-profile trial entered a new phase.
Testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya at the Tafawa Balewa Square division of the Lagos State High Court, Ojukwu—standing trial alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri—spoke publicly for the first time about the events surrounding Ataga’s death in June 2021.
Under cross-examination by prosecution counsel, Y. A. Sule, she was confronted with allegations that she left the Lekki short-let apartment with Ataga’s phone and MacBook after his body was discovered.
Sule tendered two receipts said to show her transaction at Phone Hub, where she allegedly swapped her iPhone.
Ojukwu denied knowledge of the receipts but admitted selling Ataga’s MacBook Pro at the outlet and receiving ₦495,000 into her Sterling Bank account.
Her lawyer, Onwuka Egwu, objected to the admission of the documents, describing them as an ambush because they were not originally disclosed to the defence. Justice Adesanya overruled the objection and admitted the receipts as exhibits.
Ojukwu told the court she carried out the MacBook sale days after leaving the apartment and confirmed she continued using the phone recovered from her by police, which contained her personal details.
When asked if she regretted Ataga’s death, she replied, “I regret that he died.”
She, however, denied being the last person to see him alive and insisted she did not leave the apartment with his gadgets.
Responding to questions from the defence, Ojukwu said she was a 300-level Mass Communication student at the time of her arrest and had no special knowledge of information technology.
Her testimony signals the formal opening of the defence’s case, with her legal team expected to call at least four witnesses.
The prosecution had earlier presented more than 10 witnesses.
Justice Adesanya adjourned the matter to February 9, 10, 17 and 23, 2026, for continuation of trial.
