Lawmakers halt media trial of Chidinma

…urge police to conclude investigation, charge suspect to court

By Tobi Adetunji

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, urged the Nigerian Police to stop the ongoing media trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the murder of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep Tolu Sadipe at plenary.

The lawmaker, while moving the motion, raised concerns over the unending parade and media trial of the suspect by the Nigerian Police.

She said the police should rather conclude its investigation in her matter and charge her to court for trial rather than the ongoing media trial the suspect is being made to go through.

Chidinma, who was first paraded by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, on June 24, 2021, at the Police Command in connection with the murder of Ataga, has not been charged to court.

The suspect has made series of confessional statements through media interviews granted to both the print and electronic media while in the custody of the police.

Chidinma, who had earlier given graphic details of how she allegedly stabbed Ataga to death in her previous interviews, had renounced her earlier confessions in a latest trending video where she denied any wrongdoing.

In the 8-minute video, Chidinma said she did not kill Ataga as she earlier claimed when she was paraded by the police.