The Resident Pastor of Living Faith Church Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon Branch, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Umoh, has been sentenced to death by hanging.
Umoh was sentenced by Justice Gabriel Ette of the state High Court for killing a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo, Gabriel Bassey, who was also his landlord.
The pastor was convicted for stabbing Edward to death on December 21, 2020, at Ifa Ikot Ubo in the Uyo Local Government Area of the state.
The court was informed that the deceased relocated to his late mother’s property at Ifa Ikot Ubo to secure the estate and also live closer to school.
His mother, before her death in December 2019, had established a nursery school on the property.
Evidence before the court indicated that the late landlord lived in a two-bedroom flat attached to a long hall within the compound alongside his younger brother, Emmanuel Bassey.
The hall, originally constructed for school purposes, was later rented to Living Faith Church at an annual rent of N150,000, with the consent of his father, Emana Bassey, a retired school principal.
The church was allowed to commence use of the hall, even before full payment of rent, it was gathered.
The convict was subsequently posted to the branch as its pioneer resident pastor.
Evidence presented before the court revealed further that on December 21, 2020, the defendant was seen entering the deceased’s compound, after which the neighbours began to hear screams of “Jesus” from inside the premises.
Shortly afterwards, the defendant emerged wearing a white garment stained with blood, claiming he fell off while attempting to hang a banner.
The deceased was never seen alive again.
On December 26, 2020, a day after Christmas, Edward’s decomposing body was discovered in his room, wrapped in a mat with multiple lacerations and a butcher’s knife found beside him.
The defendant, being the last person seen with Edward and possessing unexplained bloodstains, was promptly arrested and charged with murder.
The defendant, who was arraigned on December 6, 2021, on one-count charge of murder, pleaded not guilty.
To establish its case, the prosecution called six witnesses, including the deceased’s father, Emana Bassey, who testified as the first prosecution witness.
He told the court that shortly after the church began operations, the defendant requested permission to store church chairs and other items inside the deceased’s flat for security reasons, as the hall lacked doors and windows.
The father said the request was granted.
However, the arrangement soon became problematic.
Whenever the defendant needed access to church property kept in the flat, the deceased, often away, had to return home to grant access, incurring transport expenses that were not refunded.
