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The day of reckoning has come the way of 21-year-old Uduak Akpan who murdered Iniubong Umoren, Akwa Ibom job seeker. Akpan was sentenced to death by hanging on Thursday, 4 August, 2022. He created a drama when the verdict was handed down on him. He attempted to abscond, but was not successful. Apart from the above, the court found him guilty of rape, a charge that attracted life sentence. Trouble started for him in April last year when he lured Umoren to his father’s house in Uruan Local Government. His bait for the lady was promise of a job offer.
Justice Bassey Nkanang who presided discharged and acquitted Akpan’s father, Frank Akpan; and sister, Anwan Bassey.
According to Uko Udom (SAN), the Akwa Ibom Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice: “I thank the presiding judge over the way and manner this matter has been conducted. The judge was able to take a day out, tried the case on a day-to-day basis and at the end of the day, we had a judgment that the justice system works. We are very happy about the outcome of the case.”
“All we are interested in is justice, and justice has been done, the person that was supposed to be convicted has been convicted, the other two defendants were discharged and acquitted, that is justice of the case. The work of the defence counsel is to ensure the rules were followed and not to defend at all cost.”