I Don't Know Iniubong Umoren, Have Never R-aped Anyone Before - Suspect Makes U-Turn

Recall that the 20 year old was arrested in connection with the m-urder of 26 year Umoren who had gone job seeking. He had pleaded guilty to killing the deceased when he was paraded by the police.

At the defence hearing on Wednesday, April 6, the suspect told the Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo, the state capital that he got to know the deceased while in prison. He claimed not to have never r-aped anyone before, also denying knowing other alleged victims; Miriam Akpan and Blessing Sunday.

While responding to a question by his lawyer, Samson Adula, who asked him to tell the court what he knew about the charges of ra-pe and muder of Iniubong Umoren levelled against him, Akpan replied;

"My Lord, I do not know Miss Iniubong Umoren. I only came to know that name when I was served with the proceedings of this trial at the prison. For the second charge of ra-pe, my Lord, I do not know anything about ra-pe. I have never rap-ed anybody.ÔÇØ

On the alleged r-ape of one Miriam Akpan and Blessing Sunday, the accused, said;

"I do not know those two names. My Lord, I can say that the allegations by Miriam Akpan and Blessing Sunday were mere set-up.ÔÇØ

However, during cross-examination when the prosecuting counsel, Christopher Udoh, asked him if he remembered that when he was brought to court for trial on July 26, 2021, in respect of late Umoren's case that he had pleaded guilty to the charge of murder, and 'not guilty' to rap-e, he told the court that he was feeling traumatized that very day. He added that he pleaded guilty to the charge of mu-rder because the Investigating Police Officer, IPO, Archibong, had asked him to plead guilty.

Akpan further told the court during cross-examination that when he visited his father, Mr. Frank Akpan (second accused person) on April 29, 2021, that both of them left the compound together.

Asked between him and his father who returned to the House first, he said;

"I am not sure when my father went back to the House. I never went back to the House. My Lord, I spent the night in the house of my relative, Agnes Inyang at Osongama Estate, Uyo.ÔÇØ

The accused in his defence, said when he left his family compound at Uruan LGA, on April 29, 2021, he went for a business, to see one Gregory Udofia in Uyo, whom he claimed wanted to sell his property in town.

He further told the court that the next day being April 30, 2021, he travelled to Calabar, Cross River State to visit her younger sister, Anwan-Bassey Akpan, the third accused person.

The trial judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang adjourned the case till April 11 and 12, 2022, for the continuation of trial.