A High Court sitting in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced 27-year-old Edinyanga Samuel Akpan to death by hanging for the murder of his uncle, Kufre Godwin Eno, over allegations of witchcraft.
Akpan was found guilty of a one-count charge of murder, with the court holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The offence dates back to December 4, 2017, at Ikot Inyang, Okon, in Eket Local Government Area, where the convict stabbed the deceased in the chest during a dispute reportedly linked to accusations of witchcraft.
The victim was rushed to Emmanuel General Hospital, Eket, but was later confirmed dead.
Although the defendant had pleaded not guilty at the outset of the trial, he sought leniency at the point of judgment, expressing regret over his actions.
Trial judge, Justice Pius Idiong ruled that the killing was intentional and unlawful, noting that the evidence before the court clearly satisfied the legal requirements for a conviction on the charge of murder.
He further emphasised that murder remains a capital offence under Nigerian law, leaving the court with no discretion but to impose the prescribed sentence.
