Iniubong Umoren case: Court sentence Uduak Akpan to death by hanging for murder of job seeker

Convicted Uduak Akpan

BBC
Uduak Akpan for court

Justice Bassey Nkanang of di Akwa Ibom State High Court don sentence Uduak Akpan to death by hanging for di murder of late Iniubong Umoren.

Umoren be graduate of Philosophy, University of Uyo wen Uduak kill am wen she go on a job hunt for April 2021 as she dey wait for NYSC mobilization.

Di trial judge bin fix di judgment date afta di prosecution and di defence counsel adopt dia final written addresses.

Di three pesins wey stand trial for di murder case na Uduak-Abasi Akpan, di first accused pesin, Frank Akpan and Anwan-Bassey Akpan be di second and third accused pesins.

Court however discharge and acquit Frank Akpan and Anwan-Bassey Akpan di second and third accused pesins.

Uduak-Abasi Akpan wey invite her for a job interview stand trial on two count charge of rape and murder.

Uduak Akpan

BBC
Uduak Akpan as dem dey drag am go Black Maria afta di judgement

Di second accused pesin Frank Akpan wey be im father bin dey charged with accessory afta di fact to murder and di third accused Anwan-Bassey Akpan, Uduak Akpan sister bin dey charged with harbouring her brother for her residence in Calabar in a bid to assist am to escape justice.

‘My sister don get justice’

Iniubong Umoren brother

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Iniubong Umoren brother say dem happy wit di judgement

Di brother of late Umoren Iniubong, Ukeme, say di family dey happy now as im sister don get justice. “I no believe say justice dey for common pipo wey be like us. All our hopes bin dey lost say dem go just do magomago wit di case as we no get pipo, but thank God say dem don give us Justice. You no fit kill my sister, bury am and go like dat. All di family dey happy wit dis judgement.” Ukeme tok.

E add say now, im sister go fit rest as she don get justice.

Ukeme also beg goment to support di family wit jobs as na search for job lead to di death of im younger sister.

Meanwhile di prosecuting counsel wey Attorney General Uko Udom lead for im reaction to di judgement, hail di justice system. E say di judgement show say di justice system dey work and im hope say di judgement go bring some sort of closure to di family of late Umoren.

On why most state govnors no dey sign death warrant. Di lawyer say na complicated situation but one of di tins pipo must canvas for na amendment of di law wey go change di mode of conviction.

“For Nigeria law, di only way convicted murderer fit dey executed na by hanging. Unfortunately, hang men no too dey Nigeria again. If we change di law to find more means of execution, e go good.”

Di Defense Counsel, Samson Adula say im dey okay wit di outcome of di court ruling as im work no be to defend at all cost but to ensure say all di rules of procedure dey followed as na wetin lead to trial within trial.

On if dem go appeal di case, di lawyer say e no dey within im place to make dat decision b ut na Uduak go decide..

Methods of death penalty

Uduak Akpan for court

BBC
Uduak Akpan for court on judgement day

Di constitution stipulate di way dem dey execute death sentence as either through death by hanging on di neck till di convict die, death by shooting/ firing squad, death by stoning wey be say dem go stone di pesin till e die and death by lethal injection wey dem introduce for 2015.

Kingdom Chikezie Collins wey be lawyer for Port Harcout explain say na three pesins dey involed starting with di court as na dem go lay di foundation for di judgement to prescribe di manner wey dem go take execute di death sentence.

Den di Governor go need to sign di execution order and di third na di hangman wey go act on the execution order wey dey signed or if na by firing squad, den those involved go do di needful.

Collins say if di law don provide for death sentence, na di duty of those in authority to see to am say dem do as di law tok and provide di tins wey go make an work like recruit hangman wey go give effect to di judgement in di manner wey di court order according to di law.

“So di court no go say death by hanging and dem go adopt anoda method to execute am like death say by firing squad. No dem must follow am as di court tok.”

E add say, “di offence too dey vary. If na State offence na di Governor of di State naim get di powers to sign di execution order and di appropriate authorities go go put am into effect.

But if na Federal offence like Treason, dat is attempt to comot di goment in power, den e dey di federal goment power to do so, so na di President go sign di execution order as e happen for di Ogoni Nine case wey di Head of State then, Gen. Sani Abacha sign dia execution order.”