Tobias Sylvester
Uduak Frank Akpan, the suspected killer of a job seeker, Iniubong Umoren, has pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of murder and rape preferred against him by Akwa Ibom State.
KanyiDaily recalls that Akpan is standing trial in court over the gruesome murder of Umoren, a graduate of Philosophy, University of Uyo, whom he lured under the pretext of offering her a job, before he raped, murdered, and buried her in a shallow grave on April 29.
While being paraded by the police, Akpan confessed that he raped and killed the 26-year-old job seeker after luring her through advertising for phony job vacancies.
The 20-year-old suspect, who was paraded alongside his father, Mr. Frank Akpan, said he killed the job seeker to avenge what runs girls and prostitutes did to him.
Akpan, the first accused had also in July, pleaded guilty to murder when he was first arraigned before Justice Bennett Illaumoh, who has been transferred from Uyo to Itu Judicial Division.
Uduak Frank Akpan Makes U-Turn, Pleads Not Guilty
When the judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang began the trial on Thursday, November 4, Akpan who appeared before the court alongside the 2nd accused(his father) and 3rd accused(Sister) made a u-turn and pleaded not guilty to the two-count charges of murder and rape preferred against him.
His father, Frank Akpan, and his sister, Anwan Bassey Akpan respectively pleaded not guilty to the charge of accessory before the fact and obstructing arrest.
The plea came even as the chairman of Uruan local government area, Surveyor Iniobong Ekpeyong and one Kufre Effiong who were given witness summon appeared and gave evidence in court.
Giving his evidence before the court, the local government chairman who is the first prosecution witness told the court how he facilitated the arrest of the first accused who incidentally is his cousin.
He told the court that he learnt about the murder of Iniubong Umoren when his attention was drawn to a social media post that the second accused, and father of the first accused, Mr Frank Akpan had been arrested by the police.
Ekpenyong said he received calls from various corners asking him to intervene because the second accused person, Frank Akpan, a retired deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Health was sick and needed urgent medical treatment.
According to the chairman, he called one of his cousins, one Kufre Effiong and the DPO of Uruan LGA who converged at his Ewet Housing residence where the first accused person admitted killing the jobseeker by hitting her with an object.
Trial judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang who adjourned the case to Monday, November 15, 2021 promised to give an accelerated hearing with a view to passing judgement before Easter, 2022.
KanyiDaily had reported that on May 14, Iniubong Umoren was laid to rest in her hometown, Nung Ita Ikot Essien, Oruk Anam local government area of Akwa Ibom state.
