THE trial of an undergraduate student, Chidinma Ojukwu, for the murder of Super TV’s CEO, Usifo Ataga, continued today in the Lagos High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square on Lagos Island, with forensic expert Dr. Richard Somiari testifying.
The eleventh prosecution witness, Dr. Somiari, revealed that the DNA blood sample recovered on Chidinma’s scarlet clothing matched that of the victim, Ataga.
Somiari, a director and consultant for the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, told the court that he had been practicing forensics for 15 years and had completed over 500 forensic tests.
The forensic analyst also told the court that in Chidinma’s case, his office received 21 distinct things on separate days from DNA centre staff members.
According to him, the things received for evidence included a ruined red dress, an army green t-shirt, and a DNA sample from Chidinma Ojukwu.
He stated that other things received included urine, blood, gastric content, and bile, which were kept for a toxicology report. He stated that the purpose was to establish an evidence triangle connecting the culprit, the crime scene, and the victim.
Somiari also noted that the DNA on the red garment matched that of the victim, Ataga, but not that of Chidinma or the other defendants (Babalola Disu and Oluwatomi Dada) who were initially charged alongside her.
Counsel for the first defendant, Onwuka Egwu, cross-examined the witness.
The witness described how the toxicology report was transmitted to the Attorney General of Lagos, Commissioner of Police, and Director of Public Prosecutions.
He did, however, state that not all forensic reports went through such a procedure.
When asked if he questioned the toxicologist’s report, the witness responded, “I have already stated that I am not a toxicologist.” A toxicologist is capable of doing so.”
However, Egwu requested that the footage of the crime scene be broadcast, which the court granted.
While the video was playing, he questioned the witness if the blood samples on the cotton, the wall, the duvet, and the white polo the victim was wearing had been analyzed.
The witness said that the samples were not submitted.
He, however, revealed that the markers included in his analysis had nothing to do with the video as he had previously stated that some samples were in storage but not tested.
The lawyer for the second defendant, Babatunde Busari, also cross-examined the witnesses.
When he asked if a DNA sample had been taken from the second defendant, Quadri, the witness responded no.
The counsel also asked the witness if he participated in the toxicology analysis, to which he replied no.
After hearing the testimonies, Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case until May 30 to continue the trial.
The Lagos State Government arraigned Ojukwu and the two others on October 12, 2021.
Ojukwu and Quadri are both facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, and stabbing, while her sister, Egbuchu, faces the ninth count of taking the late Ataga’s iPhone 7.
