Ataga: Chidinma’s sister gets new counsel, rejects OPD’S legal representation
PROCEEDING at the ongoing trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, her sister, Chioma Egbuchu and one Adedapo Quadri over murder of Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, was stalled yesterday, following the withdrawal of the Office of the Public Defender ( OPD) from representing Egbuchu ( the third defendant).
At the resumed trial of the matter yesterday, Chioma’s counsel, Mrs, J. I. Osaigede, who stood in for Mr. O. A. Ogunsanya told Justice Yetunde Adesanya that the Office of the Public Defender ( OPD) was no longer representing Egbuchu in the murder trial.
Osaigede told the court that OPD was no longer representing Egbuchu ( the third defendant) as she had written to them that she no longer needs their services.
However, the new counsel Ngozi Akandu, who announced his appearance for the third defendant, told the court that he had just been briefed about the case on May 11. He told the court that he needed time to go through the case file.
Akandu told the court that he was given the documents in the morning ( Thursday May 12), inside the court by the third defendant ( Egbuchu). He added that the document that she got from her former counsel was not eligible.