The murder case of former Super TV CEO Alex Usifo Ataga involving 21-year-old UNILAG student Chidinma Ojukwu takes a new dimension
A pathologist, Professor John Obafunwa, the former vice chancellor of the Lagos State University, has become the latest witness to testify in the Chidinma Ojukwu’s murder case.
Some of the findings and testimonies made by Obafunwa appeared to have blown the murder case of Super TV boss Alex Usifo Ataga completely open.
Prof. Obafunwa told the Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square that the samples he gave to perform a post-mortem examination on the body of the late chief executive officer of Super TV, Alex Usifo Ataga, were manipulated and delayed for over a year before it was returned to him.
Obafunwa stated this while being cross-examined on the murder case of Ataga, allegedly killed by Ojukwu, a student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), for personal gains.
The testimonies given by Professor Obafunwa were not made as an independent researcher but as a witness in court speaking from a forensic and professional standpoint.
Obafunwa said he discovered the anomalies when the report was sent to him a year and two months after he submitted the samples to DSP Bamidele Olusegun
During cross-examination, the former LASU vice chancellor noted that the quantity of the urine and blood samples that he submitted did not correspond to what was given to Dr Andrea Noble for her toxicology report.
Autopsy report lacks information about Ataga
During cross-examination Professor Obafunwa indicated that there were some discrepancies in the autopsy report that was given to him after a toxicology test was performed by Dr Andrea Noble.
He pointed out that the autopsy report lacked some basic information he provided while submitting the samples, such as the name, date of birth, date of autopsy, and all relevant information.
The first defendant’s counsel, Onwuka Egwu Esq, along with Charity I Uduma Esq, while crossing examining the pathologist, asked: “As the person assigned by the Coroner to perform a post-mortem examination on the body of ATAGA USIFO MICHAEL, when you discovered the samples you gave out had been manipulated, did you query the Police for this anomaly?
Obafunwa said: “When I got the report, I noticed the anomaly and I notified the Prosecutor. The toxicology report signed by Dr. Andrea Noble is a 4-page document. Page 1 of that report is a covering letter from Mr. Afeez which I decided to ignore. Page 2 says the patient’s name: not provided meanwhile, I provided the name, date of autopsy and all relevant information. It says DOB not provided whereas I provided DOB up to age.” The former VC of LASU also spoke about some anomalies he noticed that were different from what he submitted at first. “Check the last end of the report, which stipulates 4mls of blood specimen on Dr. Noble’s report. What I submitted is 5mls of urine, 7mls=12mls of urine.
What I submitted was not what Dr. Andrea Noble in the USA got. The report was released a year and 2 months after I submitted my report for toxicology. I discovered the anomalies when the report was sent to me in February 2023 and I pointed that out to the Prosecution.”
Professor Obafunwa revealed that the claim by the police that Usifo Ataga was sedated with a Date drug (Rohypnol) in a bid to disarm was false.
He noted that the quantity of Rohypnol seen in Ataga’s bloodstream wasn’t enough to sedate him and was insignificant. The forensic pathologist also confirmed that autopsy results revealed that the two deadly stabs that killed Ataga were inflicted on his armpit and loss of blood.
Professor Obafunwas also noted that a double-edged knife was used during the attack, and there was a high possibility that there were two assailants who inflicted the injuries.
The defendant’s counsel asked: “Look at page 18, para. 2 of your report where you have “autopsy reveal multiple sharp stabs” and confirm that those fatal blows led to death as a result of the deep cut in the armpit.”
Obafunwa answered and said: “That’s correct. It went in deep and disrupted the veins leading to loss of blood and eventual collapse and death.
Recall that the police had claimed in their report that Usifo Ataga was drugged, bound with ropes and stabbed to death by his lover, Chidinma Ojukwu.
However, with Prof Obafunwa’s testimony, all these claims have been thrown open. He clarified that the quantity of drug found in Usifo Ataga’s bloodstream was too small to have induced him, noting the fact that he is a regular user of weed and Rohypnol.
Prof Obafunwa also revealed that another content of drug found in Usifo’s blood was that of medicine used by hypertensive patients.
According to the pathologist, Usifo was a hypertensive patient and was on medication. This helps to address the content of the hypertensive drug found in his bloodstream.
Police’s photos, videos not connected to crime scene .
The former LASU VC further stated that, unlike in other cases, he was unable to visit the crime scene, and the photographs and photos the police sent to him had no connection with the scene.
He also debunked the claims of the police that Ataga was restrained during the attack. Instead, he noted that he tried to defend himself, which was why he was stabbed in his palm.
Prof. Obafunwa also noted that the attack on Ataga was inflicted by a right-handed person. He said this explains why most of the stab wounds and cuts were to the left side of the victim’s body.
“My first contact with the corpse was in July 2021 death occurred on 16th June 2021. I raised alarm with the Police on how to conduct an autopsy after over 3 weeks of death? I went further to ask them is there’s no scene to visit, do you have photographs. I had no opportunity to visit the crime scene. The pictures and videos sent to me by the Police have no bearing with the scene. It shows just people drinking at a bar.”
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