Ataga’s Alleged Murder: Illegible Statements Stall Chidinma’s Trial

Illegible statements served on the defence counsels yesterday stalled the trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, at a Lagos High court in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).
Defence counsels complained that the statements contained in the proof of evidence served on them were all illegible and that the audio interviews of the defendants were also inaudible.
They stated that the defendants had a right to clearer statements and audible video interviews as it would enable them prepare their defence adequately.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya, in her ruling, directed the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to provide clearer statements and audible copies of the interviews to all the defence counsels before the end of the day.
Adesanya further adjourned the matter to November 11, 15, 16, 17, 26 and 30 for trial.
Earlier, Mrs A.O. Adeyemi, had entered appearance for the prosecution from the DPP, while Mr Onwuka Egbu, Mr Babatunde Busari and Mr A.O. Ogunsanya had appeared for the first to third defendants respectively.
Adeyemi told the court that she had two witnesses in court and was ready to begin trial, but Egwu informed the court that he had a pending application before the court that was ripe for hearing.
He said that in his application, he was praying for more legible statements, as the ones contained in the proof of evidence the prosecution served him were illegible.
Counsel to the second defendant, Busari, aligned with the submission of the first defence counsel and further complained that the video recordings of the interviews were not served on him.
On his part, counsel to the third defendant, Ogunsanya, from the Office of the Public Defender (OPD), told the court that the video interviews of the defendants that were served on him were not audible.
He aligned with previous submissions that the statements he was served were also not clear.
The defence counsels submitted that they needed all these documents to enable them prepare for the trial adequately.
Adeyemi told the court that she would send soft copies of all the proof of evidence to each defence counsels’ email before the end of the day.