Iniubong Umoren: Main suspect deny for court say im know di victim during murder trial

Di rape and murder case of di young job seeker, Iniubong Umoren for Uyo Akwa Ibom State take a different turn for di opening of defense as di main suspect Uduak Akpan deny say im know di victim, Iniubong Umoren.

Akpan dey stand trial for di rape and murder of Miss Umoren, a University of Uyo graduate for south-south Nigeria wey dem discover dead for Uruan, wia she dey look for work on 29 April, 2021.

Di suspect tell di court say e only know di dead girl name wen dem serve am di proceedings of di trial for prison.

E add say im no know anytin about rape and e plead guilty because of di investigating police officer influence for court and di fact say im bin get fever.

Wen dem ask am wia im spend di night on di day of di incident, Akpan say e sleep for di house of im relative, Agnes Inyang for Osongama Estate, Uyo.

Uduak Akpan start im defense after di prosecution counsel conclude dia case with 10 witnesses wey include di Department of State Security (DSS) officers wey investigate di matter.

Trial-within-trial to admit Uduak Akpan confessional statement to DSS

Akpan Uduak, di alleged killer of Umoren

BBC

Before di prosecution team conclude dia case, dem present di confessional statement di prime suspect Uduak Akpan make of how e tie kill Iniubong Umoren wen im bin dey DSS custody.

Uduak Akpan bin don tell di court say di Department of State Service, DSS na im allegedly force am to sign di confessional statement wey make di court hold trial-within-trial to determine weda or not DSS make am sign di statement under duress.

But di Akwa Ibom State High Court for Uyo admit into evidence, di confessional statement Uduak Akpan allegedly make to di DSS, on 10 June 2021.

Di Trial judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang, for di ruling on di trial-within-trial dem conduct on 15 February, 2022, admit di confessional statement as Exhibit 18.

Im hold say during di trial-within-trial, one significant piece of evidence wey stand out na say di Defence Witness1 (Uduak Akpan) clearly deny di entire statement.

Di judge say “na di position of di law say denial or retraction simply go be matter dem go take into consideration to decide di kain weight dem go attach to am. Sake of dis, di objection to admit di statement of di first accused person for dis issue dey overruled.

“Accordingly, di extra judicial statement di first accused pesin make on June 10, 2021, for DSS, Uyo dey admitted in evidence and we go mark am as Exhibit 18.

Dis na di ruling for di trial within trial.”

Two oda rape victims also testify

Two oda rape victims, don come forward and testify for court say di suspect, Uduak Akpan bin don allegedly rape dem too but Akpan deny di accuse say im no know dem.

Di Prosecution team bin bring dem as witnesses to show say Iniubong Umoren no be di first pesin wey don fall victim for Uduak Akpan.

Di trial judge adjourn di case till 11 and 12 April 2022 for di defense to continue dis case.