By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
At the resumption on Wednesday at Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo, on the trial of Uduak Frank Akpan in connection with the murder of Iniubong Umoren, the accused person denied knowing the victim whose body was said to have been exhumed from his father’s residence in Uruan, April, 2021.
Iniubong, a job-seeker who was a philosophy graduate from the University of Uyo, was said to have been allegedly raped and murdered by Uduak.
Uduak, who is standing trial on a two-count charge of murder and rape, was giving evidence as he opened his defense after the prosecution closed its case.
He told the court that he got to know about the name “Iniubong Umoren” when he was served with the proceedings of the trial while in prison custody.
“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.” He said.
The 21-year-old Uduak Frank Akpan also denied raping anyone since he was born.
On why he pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him during his initial arraignment before the first trial judge, Justice Bennett Ilaumoh, in July, 2021, Uduak Frank Akpan said he had fever on that day.
After hearing the evidence, the trial judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang ordered that Uduak Frank Akpan who is standing trial with his father, the second accused person, Mr. Frank Akpan and his sister, the third accused, be remanded in Uyo Correctional Centre till the next adjourned date.
The case has been adjourned to Monday, 11th April, 2022.
