The Resident Pastor of Living Faith Church Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon Branch in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Umoh, has been condemned to death by hanging.
Justice Gabriel Ette of the state High Court delivered the sentence after finding Umoh guilty of killing a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo, Gabriel Bassey, who was also his landlord.
The court heard that the cleric fatally stabbed Edward on December 21, 2020, at Ifa Ikot Ubo in Uyo Local Government Area.
Evidence showed that the deceased had moved into his late mother’s property at Ifa Ikot Ubo to safeguard the estate and reside closer to school.
Before her death in December 2019, his mother had established a nursery school within the premises.
Testimony revealed that the late landlord occupied a two-bedroom apartment attached to a long hall in the compound, where he lived with his younger brother, Emmanuel Bassey.
The hall, initially built for school use, was later leased to Living Faith Church for N150,000 annually with the approval of his father, Emana Bassey, a retired school principal.
The church was permitted to begin using the hall before completing payment of the agreed rent.
Umoh was subsequently assigned to the branch as its pioneer resident pastor.
Further evidence presented in court indicated that on December 21, 2020, the defendant was seen entering the deceased’s compound. Shortly afterward, neighbours reported hearing cries of “Jesus” from inside the premises.
Moments later, the defendant came out wearing a white garment stained with blood, claiming he had fallen while trying to hang a banner.
The deceased was not 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.
Being the last person seen with the deceased and unable to explain the bloodstains on his clothing, the defendant was arrested and arraigned on a murder charge.
He was formally arraigned on December 6, 2021, on a one-count charge of murder and pleaded not guilty.
To support 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 sought permission to keep church chairs and other property inside the deceased’s flat for security reasons, since the hall lacked doors and windows.
The request was approved. However, problems soon emerged.
Whenever the defendant needed access to the items stored in the flat, the deceased—often away—had to return home to unlock the premises, incurring transport costs that were not reimbursed.
Following complaints, the father instructed his son to provide the defendant with a spare key to ease access.
The prosecution presented evidence that after the key was handed over, belongings of the deceased’s late mother—including clothes, plates and other valuables—began to disappear.
The defendant, having the spare key, became a suspect. When confronted, he claimed he had misplaced the key.
The issue was escalated to the church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Akpan, who testified as a defence witness and provided N5,000 to enable the deceased to change the locks.
According to the evidence before the court, no additional items went missing after the locks were replaced.
Tensions later developed between the deceased and the defendant concerning the management of rent allegedly paid for the hall’s use and earmarked for repairs.
In a judgment that lasted over two hours, Justice Ette described the matter as “very sympathetic,” recounting the late mother’s efforts to develop the property for educational purposes before her passing.
The court ruled that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Ette condemned the act, noting the contradiction of a religious leader committing such an offence within church premises.
“Life is sacred and those who represent God on earth should teach that. It is an irony and quite appalling when a man who claims to be the representative of the divine on earth stoops so low as to denigrate the very essence of his calling and take someone’s life on the premises of the church,” Justice Ette held.
He further stated that individuals who betray public trust in such a way pose a threat to society and must face the full weight of the law.
“Having found you guilty as charged, I hereby sentence you to death by hanging,” the court declared.
(PUNCH)
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