By Solomon OKPO
By Friday Johnson Itim, Esq., Director of Public Prosecutions, Akwa Ibom State
In a historic and emotionally charged trial, justice has finally prevailed for the family of Miss Iniubong Ephraim Umoren, the young graduate whose brutal murder in 2021 ignited a firestorm of outrage across Nigeria.
The High Court of Akwa Ibom State, in a landmark judgment delivered on August 4, 2022, found Uduak-Abasi Frank Akpan guilty of rape and murder and sentenced him to death by hanging. His conviction followed a thorough and well-coordinated prosecution led by the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Essien Udom, SAN, supported by a dedicated team of state counsel.
The horrific crime unfolded on April 29, 2021, when Miss Umoren, an ambitious job seeker awaiting her NYSC call-up, was lured to a remote location in Nung Ikono Obio, Uruan LGA, under the pretense of a job interview. The suspect, Uduak-Abasi Frank Akpan, deceitfully orchestrated the encounter, raped and murdered her, and buried her in a shallow grave within his father’s compound.
Contrary to sensationalized social media claims of a ritual killing syndicate and multiple corpses, thorough investigations by the Police and DSS confirmed that Miss Umoren was the sole victim.
Upon the case file’s transfer to the Ministry of Justice, the Honourable Attorney General led a visit to the crime scene. Following comprehensive review, a three-count charge was filed:
Count 1: Rape (against Uduak-Abasi Frank Akpan)
Count 2: Murder (against Uduak-Abasi Frank Akpan)
Count 3: Accessory After the Fact to Murder (against his father, Mr. Frank Akpan, and sister, Bassey-Anwan Akpan)
The prosecution presented ten credible witnesses and tendered 20 exhibits, including damning confessional statements and physical evidence. Key testimonies from the victim’s sister and friends, alongside digital traces and direct confessions, provided irrefutable proof of guilt.
Under cross-examination, the 1st defendant admitted to violently attacking Iniubong with a pressing iron and electric stabilizer after she protested his sexual assault. He subsequently strangled her with her jeans and buried her body.
After a fast-tracked 10-month trial that began on November 4, 2021, the court delivered its judgment:
Uduak-Abasi Frank Akpan: Found guilty of rape and murder. Sentenced to death.
Frank Akpan (father) and Bassey-Anwan Akpan (sister): Discharged and acquitted of charges of accessory after the fact.
This case underscores the commitment of the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice to ensure that criminals face the full wrath of the law. It also reaffirms the state’s resolve to protect the dignity and lives of its citizens, especially women. The swift prosecution and final conviction have become a reference point in the annals of criminal justice in Nigeria.
Justice may have tarried for Iniubong, but it did not fail. Her name will not be forgotten.
