Nkechi Mogbo, the owner of the short service apartment used by the murdered CEO of Super TV, Michael Ataga, has told the court how he rented her apartment.
Mogbo, while testifying on Thursday, told the court that she had a self-service apartment rented out for short service accommodation.
The witness, while being led in evidence in chief by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Adeyinka Adeyemi, said, “On June 13, around 4pm, a lady called me on the telephone with a private number and requested for the apartment. She requested to see the apartment to ensure that the facilities were up to the standard she needed.”
The witness said after visiting the apartment, the lady, through WhatsApp message, confirmed that she would take the apartment for three days
The witness stated that Chidinma “left the service apartment before the day she was supposed to leave.”
Mogbo added, “She mentioned that her name was Jewel and I forwarded payment details, thereafter, she sent proof of payment of N125,000, to my WhatsApp.
“The payment was made through a commercial bank account of one Mr Micheal Usifo, and my name as recipient.”
She further told the court that after two days, on June 15 around 5.30pm, Chidinma sent another message to her WhatsApp, stating that her friend would stay for two more days.
The witness added that the payment was made from Ataga’s GTB account, adding that later, when she called her security guard for another issue, the guard told her that “a body was found on the ground of the apartment.”
“I tried to reach the lady on the telephone, but she cut the call. She then sent a message to me that she was in a meeting.
She stated that Chidinma replied that her friend would make another payment, adding that few minutes later, she got another N50,000 from Ataga’s account.
After a couple of hours, I sent her a message that I have received the initial payment of N50,000 and that I have given the security man the extra N50,000 for her to pick it up.
“She didn’t come; she sent a message that she would use it to pay for two more days for her friend.”
