The Lagos State Police Command has explained why Chidinma Ojukwu, the prime suspect in the killing of the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga, has not been taken to court.
There have been ongoing rumours that Chidinma might be freed on the basis of self-defence after the University of Lagos undergraduate confirmed she stabbed Ataga.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, urged for calm, stating that Chidinma was till in police custody because the investigation has not been concluded.
He said: “We will take her to court when we finish the investigation; we are still investigating.”
However, a Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, Jiti Ogunye, also stated that the detention of Chidinma was not illegal,
Ogunye noted that sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution gave the police the right to detain a murder suspect and also stated that the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State mandated them to obtain a remand order to justify a suspect’s continued detention.
“The detention of this lady is not unconstitutional if a remand order has been obtained; if the remand order has not been obtained, the police will be expected to obtain a remand order to justify her detention,” he stated.
Ogunye, however, berated the police for granting the media access to interrogate her.
He noted that such a media show was unconstitutional.
