How SuperTV Owner’s Body, Michael Ataga Was Discovered

A Lagos High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square yesterday heard how the body of SuperTV owner, Michael Usifo Ataga was found.

Nkechi Mogbo, owner of a short service apartment in Lekki, spoke before Justice Yetunde Adesanya in the trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, her relative Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri for Ataga’s murder.

Mogbo said couples, workers, students and people from out of town were her clients, adding that she got a phone call on June 13 requesting a short service apartment.

“I asked the lady to send a message to me through WhatsApp so I could forward the address to her. Afterwards, the lady confirmed that she would take the apartment for three days but left before the billed day she was to leave.”

Mogbe said the lady gave her name as “Jewel” and that she forwarded payment details, after which she sent proof of payment of N125,000 to my WhatsApp.

She said, “The payment  made through a bank account from one Mr Michael Usifo had a time and date of transfer and my name as recipient. The security guard handed her the key to the apartment but two days later, June 15, at 5:30pm, the lady sent a message to my WhatsApp stating that her friend would stay for two more days and that he would be making the payment.”

The witness said a second payment of N50,000 for the two extra days was made from the same bank account on June 16, 20201.

But the security guard told her on the phone that he noticed a body on the ground of the said apartment.

“I panicked when my security guard told me about the body…I asked where is the lady, but they said she left a night before,” she said.

The witness said she reported the incident at the Maroko Police Station and that some police officers followed her to the apartment, took pictures and that she followed them back to the station to make a statement on the incident.

“I left the police station at 11pm, but before that the police arranged for the body to be taken out to the morgue, his personal items were also taken and after that, I left the police station at about 11pm and reported back the next day.”

She narrated how she was taken to Panti police station and how she stayed for seven days in custody in order to help police do proper investigation.

Justice Adesanya adjourned the matter until November 15 for continuation of trial.

THE NATION