Man to die by hanging for murder

The Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Eket has sentenced 27-year-old Edinyanga Samuel Akpan, to death by hanging for murder. Akpan was found guilty of killing his uncle, Kufre Godwin Eno, over an allegation of witchcraft. It was learnt that during a disagreement on Monday, December 4, 2017, at Ikot Inyang, Okon, in Eket […]

The Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Eket has sentenced 27-year-old Edinyanga Samuel Akpan, to death by hanging for murder.

Akpan was found guilty of killing his uncle, Kufre Godwin Eno, over an allegation of witchcraft.

It was learnt that during a disagreement on Monday, December 4, 2017, at Ikot Inyang, Okon, in Eket Local Government Area, Akpan stabbed his uncle in the chest with a knife.

Though the victim was rushed to the Emmanuel General Hospital, Eket, he was later confirmed dead.

Akpan, an indigene of Ikot Obioro in Eket and primary school dropout, who had initially pleaded not guilty during trial, however pleaded for leniency and regretted his actions.

In his judgment, Justice Pius Idiong found the accused guilty of a one-count charge of murder, and held that the act was intentional and unlawful.

Justice Idiong stated that murder was a capital offence and that he had no discretion under the law to impose a lesser sentence.

The judgment brought to an end the prolonged legal process that lasted nine years in court.