The absence of a defence lawyer at the Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square on Thursday stalled the ongoing trial of an undergraduate, Chidinma Ojukwu, who was accused of killing the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga.
Ojukwu and her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, alongside one Adedapo Quadri, are facing nine counts bordering on murder, stealing and forgery, all of which are related to the killing of Ataga on June 15, 2021.
The trial was stalled on May 12 when Egbuchu stopped using the services of the Office of the Public Defender and employed a lawyer to defend her.
Her new counsel, Mr Ngozi Akandu, had said he needed time to study the documents and the case.
During the court proceedings on Thursday, Ojukwu’s lawyer, Mr Onwuka Egwu, read a letter from Akandu to the court that he would be absent due to “sudden health indisposition.”
He appealed to the court for adjournment.
The prosecution counsel, Adenike Oluwakemi, raised no objection to the application.
Counsel for the other defendants asked the court to fix another date to continue the trial while vacating other trial dates already fixed.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the case till July 7 to continue trial.
