Chidinma Ojukwu, the former UNILAG student accused of murdering Super TV CEO Michael Usifo Ataga, told a Lagos High Court on Tuesday that all her statements to the police were false and made under duress.
Testifying before Justice Yetunde Adesanya, Chidinma claimed that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Bamidele, forced her to adopt a narrative he dictated, threatening her and warning against saying anything different to the Commissioner of Police (CP).
She said her phone was seized, and she was pressured to give passwords and contacts.
She recounted how her first written statement was torn up, and when she protested writing another without her lawyer, she was slapped and handcuffed.
According to her, the IPO dictated her “confession,” filmed her multiple times, and even used cue cards for her to read from.
“I was too weak to resist,” she said, adding that makeup was applied to her face before one of the recordings. Chidinma said a later statement was also dictated and written under pressure, after she was hit and denied food.
She insisted that nothing in the statements was true, including the alleged withdrawal of N5 million from Ataga’s account or buying food at a restaurant, as claimed by police.
The trial continues on May 7, 2025.
