The Akwa Ibom State High Court, situated in Essien Udim local government Area, has sentenced Pastor Uduak Umoren and his brother, Emmanuel Umoren, to death for the fatal beating of Iboro Joe over a land dispute.
The victim, Iboro Joe, a 45-year-old farmer and trader from Ikot Otu in Essien Udim LGA, lost his life during a visit to his sister-in-law in Adiasim Ikot Ekon, also within Essien Udim LGA.
News About Nigeria gathered that he had gone to offer his condolences on the death of her husband.
According to the sister-in-law’s testimony before the court, she had asked the deceased to accompany her to her late husband’s farmland to assess its value for sale to fund the burial.
However, when the wife of the second convict saw them on the farmland, she raised an alarm, alleging that someone was performing ritualistic acts on their family land.
The situation escalated rapidly, with the second convict assaulting the deceased.
His wife subsequently called her son and brother-in-law to join in the assault, which involved the use of machetes and broken bottles.
The beating left the deceased in a coma, and he was later dragged to his family compound near the farm, where he passed away three days later.
In a verdict delivered on Wednesday, Justice Winifred Effiong, the presiding judge, found both accused individuals guilty of murder and sentenced them to death by hanging.
Justice Effiong emphasised that the prosecution team from the State Ministry of Justice had successfully demonstrated the guilt of the accused ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ and concluded that they had intentionally caused the deceased’s death.
