By Harrison Essien
The High Court of Akwa Ibom State sitting in Uyo, will this Thursday, 4th August, 2022, deliver judgement in the case of murder of Iniubong Umoren, a graduate of Philosophy, University of Uyo whose life was taken while on a job hunt in April 2021 while waiting for NYSC mobilization.
The first accused person, Uduak Frank Akpan, who is said to invited Iniubong for a job interview in his residence in Nung Ikono Obio, Uruan Local Government Area, is standing trial for murder and rape of the job seeker, while his father, Mr. Frank Akpan and his sister Anwan Bassey Akpan are charged for accessory after the fact of murder.
The trial judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang fixed the judgment date after the Prosecution and the Defence Counsel adopted their final written addresses.
SUMMARY OF HOW THE CASE WENT
JULY 2021
Uduak Frank Akpan pleaded guilty before Justice Bennett Ilaumoh.
2ND NOVEMBER, 2021
Justice Bassey Nkenang took over the case from former trial judge, Justice Bennett Illaumoh who was transferred to Itu Judicial Division.
2ND NOVEMBER, 2021
Case starts de Novo. He pleaded not guilty.
2ND NOVEMBER, 2021
The Court issued production warrant for the third accused person, 25 year-old Bassey Anwan Akpan, graduate of English Language and Literary Studies for harbouring his younger brother in her residence in Calabar.
4TH NOVEMBER, 2021
Case adjourned for plea.
NOVEMBER 4, 2021
1st Prosecution Witness and Chairman of Uruan Local Government Area, Surveyor Iniobong Ekpenyong told the Court that Uduak Frank Akpan came to his house and confessed to him that he murdered Iniubong Umoren.
NOVEMBER 4, 2021
2nd Prosecution Witness, Kufre Effiong in his evidence also told the Court that Uduak Frank Akpan told him and his Cousin, Surveyor Iniobong Ekpenyong that he murdered Iniubong Umoren.
NOVEMBER 16, 2021
5th Prosecution Witness and Police Investigation Officer, Inspector Sunday Udo told the Court that Uduak Frank Akpan confessed to him that he murdered Iniubong Umoren and took the Police his father’s residence in Uruan, where the decomposed body was exhumed.
NOVEMBER 16, 2021
Accused person, Uduak Frank Akpan in his evidence in Court, denied making any confessional statement to Police and DSS.
DECEMBER 1, 2021
Adoption of written addresses on trial within trial.
DECEMBER 13, 2021
Ruling on trial within trial. The Court dismissed all the objections for the admissibility of the confessional statements and admitted same as exhibits.
6TH APRIL, 2022
Uduak Frank Akpan denied knowledge of Iniubong Umoren whose body was exhumed from his father’s residence.
“My Lord, I do not know Miss Iniubong Umoren. I only came to know that name when I was served with the proceedings of this trial at the Prison. For the second charge of rape, my Lord, I do not know anything about rape. I have never raped anybody. I pleaded guilty because I had fever on that day and my IPO’s influence in the Court.” Uduak Frank Akpan told the Court.
6TH APRIL, 2022
Uduak Frank Akpan aldo denied raping anyone since he was born 21 years ago.
On why he pleaded guilty during his initial arraignment before the first trial judge, Uduak Frank Akpan said he had fever on that day.
11TH MAY, 2022
Uduak Frank Akpan closed defense alongside his father and sister, Bassey Anwan.
Bassey-Anwan, a graduate of English Language and Literary Studies from the University of Calabar, told the Court that before her arrest, she was a hair stylist in Calabar waiting for NYSC mobilization.
She said she was in her house on 30th April, 2021, when she saw a post on Facebook alleging that her brother kidnapped Iniubong Umoren, a development she said, prompted her to reach out to her father, Mr. Frank Akpan in Akwa Ibom, who told her that Uduak Frank Akpan had already left Uyo for her house in Calabar.
Bassey-Anwan said, on arrival, she asked her brother about the missing Iniubong Umoren, but he did not respond until she was arrested in the University of Calabar by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS.
