Richard Somiari, the 11th prosecution witness in the alleged murder trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, says the DNA blood sample found on her dress matched that of the victim, Usifo Ataga.

Somiari, a director and consultant for the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, gave his evidence before a Lagos high court at TBS on Tuesday.

Ojukwu, a 300-level student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), is charged with the murder of Ataga, the CEO of Super TV, alongside her sister Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri.

At the resumed hearing, the witness was led in evidence by Adenike Oluwafemi, the deputy director of public prosecutions in Lagos.

Somari told the court that he had practised in forensics for 15 years and had conducted over 500 forensic tests.

The forensic analyst said his office received 21 items as evidence on different days from their DNA centre staff members.

He said the items included a stained red dress, an army green T-shirt, and a DNA sample from Chidinma.

He added that other items received were urine, blood, gastric content and byle which were retained for a toxicology report.

He said the goal was to create an evidence triangle to link the suspect to the crime scene and the victim.

Somiari told the court that the DNA blood sample collected from Chidinma’s red dress matched that of Ataga.

He, however, said that the DNA did not match that of Chidinma and the other suspects, Babalola Disu and Oluwatomi Dada.

Somiari was cross-examined by Onwuka Egwu, the first defendant’s counsel.

The witness narrated how the result of the toxicology report was forwarded to the office of the attorney-general of Lagos, the commissioner of police, and the director of public prosecutions.

He, however, said that not all forensic reports went through such a procedure.

When asked if he questioned the report of the doctor Andrea Nuhu, the witness said: “I have already said that I am not a toxicologist. It is a toxicologist that can do such”.

Egwu requested the video of the crime scene to be played and the court granted it.

While the video was playing, he asked the witness whether the samples of the blood on the cotton, the wall, the duvet, and the white polo the victim was wearing were tested.

The witness answered that the samples were not submitted.

He, however, said that the markers indicated in his report had nothing to do with the video.

He had earlier said that some samples were in storage but not tested.

Babatunde Busari, the second defendant’s counsel, also cross-examined the witness.

Busari asked if any DNA sample was taken from the second defendant, Quadri, and the witness said no.

The counsel also asked the witness if he took part in the toxicology analysis which he answered no.

C. G. Ugochikwu, the third defendant’s counsel, said she had no examination for the witness.

After listening, Yetunde Adesanya, the presiding judge, adjourned the case until May 30 for a continuation of trial.

Chidonma Ojukwu and the two others were arraigned on October 12, 2021, by the Lagos government.

Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, and stabbing.

Egbuchu, however, is facing the ninth count of stealing an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted a commercial bus transporting N3.2m counterfeit cash owned by three suspects including eight-month pregnant Favour Peter (24), Esther Adukwu (27), and Ochigbo Michael (39), who were arrested at Jabi park in Abuja.

This was made known in a statement signed by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, and shared on the agency’s website on Sunday.

The statement read, “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted a commercial bus conveying N3.2m counterfeit cash owned by three suspects: eight-month pregnant Favour Peter, 24; Esther Adukwu, 27, and Ochigbo Michael, 39, who were arrested at Jabi park in Abuja in a follow up operation on Tuesday, April 9 following the seizure of the fake naira notes in Lokoja, Kogi State.

“This is even as NDLEA officers in collaboration with men of the Nigerian Navy Ship Lugard Base, Lokoja intercepted 37-year-old Aliyu Lawal along Lokoja-Abuja Road on Monday, April 8 and recovered 620 blocks of cannabis weighing 310kg from him, while 10 sacks of the same psychoactive substance weighing 98kg were seized along Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Expressway by the NDLEA operatives from Jama Obodo, 44, in a commercial bus coming from Ilesha, Osun State enroute Taraba State on Wednesday, April 10.

“In Cross River State, a 40-year-old widow and mother of two, Mrs. Theodora Ita, was on Monday, April 8 arrested at Bassey Edom, Calabar, by the NDLEA operatives for producing and selling a lethal new psychoactive substance, NPS, locally called ‘Combine’, which is a mixture of different strains of cannabis and opioids soaked in raw gin.

“As at the time of her arrest, 18 litres of the dangerous substance in used paint drums were recovered from her. In her statement, she claimed she started the illicit drug production and distribution in October 2023. Another suspect, Godwin Okon Samuel, 48, was apprehended at Essit Ebum area of Calabar with 39.4kg of cannabis sativa on Tuesday, April 9.”

According to the statement, two suspects: Sani Mohammed, 43, and Christopher Eze, 64, were arrested in the Sabon Gari area of Kano on Tuesday, April 9with 900,000 pills of opioid recovered from them.

The NDLEA operatives, on patrol along Owerri-Onitsha Road, Imo State on Friday, April 12, intercepted a logistics truck with number plate JGB 403XB and recovered 230 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 119kg hidden under household items after a thorough search.

Meanwhile, in Ekiti state, a raid at Ijesa Isu forest led to the seizure of 252kg of cannabis.

In Ondo Sate, four suspects were caught loading 40kg of the substance onto a gas truck.

The NDLEA also made arrests in Ogun state, where Ismaila Ogun was caught with 79kg of cannabis, and in Ondo State, where Friday Abah was found with 410kg of the same substance.

A chief magistrate court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, has fixed April 12 for ruling on a bail application filed by Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu, the social media influencer popularly known as Ijele Speaks.

Ijele was arrested by the police after he accused Ebuka Obi, the lead founder of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach, of performing fake miracles.

Ijele claimed that Obi is a criminal and scammer who lives through dubious means.

In the post tagging the police, the influencer also accused the clergyman of being “a fraudster who performs fake miracles”.

The blogger has been in detention for over two weeks.

Arguing a bail application on Monday, Marvin Omorogbe, counsel to Ijele, prayed the court to set aside the remand order granted against his client.

He asked the court to “order his release from the Keffi correctional centre or, in the alternative, admit him to bail”.

Omorogbe alleged that the police suppressed facts before the court to secure a remand order.

He said the police also lied about filing a charge at the Abuja federal high court.

“For the fact that the Police came to court to lie on oath is enough reason to set aside the remand order. They misled the court into granting the remand order against the applicant,” the lawyer said.

Ijele’s counsel said the 14-day period for the applicant to be remanded has expired, adding that there is no application for the renewal of the remand order.

Opposing the bail application, Obiora Ejiofor, the police lawyer, said, there was no evidence placed before the court to warrant granting the applicant bail.

He also insisted that a four-count criminal charge against the applicant has been filed at the federal high court in Abuja.

“We are waiting for a date by the federal high court to arraign the applicant. The police is a very responsible institution of government,” Ejiofor said.

Responding on point of law, Omorogbe told the court that the exhibits attached to the counter affidavit by the police were forged.

“The purported wanted person notice was forged, that was why they made a photocopy of it to confuse the court,” he said.

“The court should not accord any value to the exhibits. The documents do not meet the minimum standard of the Evidence Act.”

He said the police did not exhibit any charge in all the processes filed before the court, saying that, there is no case against the applicant in the face of the law.

After listening to the submissions of all parties in the matter, Emmanuel Iyanna, the chief magistrate, adjourned till April 12 to rule on the application.

The applicant is to remain in Keffi correctional centre pending the ruling.