By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Uduak Frank Akpan’s father, who is the second accused person in the gruesome murder of Iniubong Umoren, said his son has a mental health issue (schizophrenia) and was an outpatient of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital.
Mr. Frank Akpan, a retired Civil Servant, was giving evidence in his defense as a second defendant before an Uyo High Court presided over by Hon. Justice Bassey Nkanang.
He also denied knowledge of Iniubong Umoren’s murder, nor aware that her body was exhumed in his compound in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
His evidence is coming few days after his son, Uduak Frank Akpan, the first accused person, had denied knowing the late Iniubong Umoren nor raping her or any other woman since he was born.
He explained that on the day the said incident occurred, he was in the house of his secondary school classmate at Uko Eshiet Street, Uyo and only returned home at about 7pm, to be told by his son that, there was an undisclosed medical emergency for which he advised him to hold on till the next morning.
The accused person said his son then came back and told him that he was travelling to Calabar before he heard a knock on the gate of his house by Policemen from Uruan Divisional Headquarters who later told him that they were in search of a missing lady.
He said he conducted the Police round his house and thereafter, was taken to the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Uyo, where he was detained, until his son was arrested and himself freed from Police custody.
Concerning the text message he allegedly sent to his daughter’s phone stating “He was using a flying boat, he should not be talking about dying, but escaping” the accused person admitted that he sent the text but that he was not referring it to his son’s escape.
Mr. Frank Akpan is standing trial for accessory after the fact of murder, while his son, Uduak is charged for murder and rape and his daughter, Bassey Anwan for harbouring her brother in her residence in Calabar in a bid to assist him escape justice.
Justice Bassey Nkanang has adjourned the case to 10th and 11th of May, 2022, for the continuation of defense by the third accused person (Mr. Frank Akpan’s daughter)
Iniubong Umoren was untill her gruesome murder, a physiology graduate from the University of Uyo.
She was allegedly lured by the first accused on the pretext of giving her a job, but instead raped, killed and buried her in a shallow grave in his father’s compound in Uruan Local Government Area of the state last year.
