The trial of Chidinma Ojukwu charged with murder of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga, was on Tuesday stalled due to absence of her counsel, Mr Onwuka Egwu.
The student of University of Lagos is standing trial on a nine-count charge bordering on murder, forgery and stealing.
She is being prosecuted by Lagos State Government alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri.
At the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Lagos State, Mrs Adenike Oluwafemi, told the court that she got a message from Ojukwu’s counsel that he was ill.
She said that the counsel also mentioned that others in the defence team would not be able to appear in the case on Tuesday due to engagements.
Oluwafemi told the court that a prosecution witness, who was to give evidence, was present in court.
The second and third defendants’ counsel, Mr Babatunde Busari and Miss P. O. Okpagbo, were present in court but did not raise any objections.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case until June 8 for continuation of trial.
At the last adjourned date, the court ruled on the admissibility of Chidinma’s confessional statements to the police.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Adesanya admitted Ojukwu’s statements in evidence.
Adesanya held that prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the statements were voluntarily made.
