An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced Emmanuel Umoh, a resident pastor of Living Faith Church in Ifa Ikot Ubo-Ifa Ikot Okpon, to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Edward.
Gatekeepers News reports that according to Premium Times, Justice Gabriel Ette on Thursday convicted the 29-year-old cleric and imposed the death penalty for killing 23-year-old Edward, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Delivering judgment, Justice Ette questioned why a man of faith would commit murder in a place designated for worship. He noted that the convict did not halt the attack despite hearing the victim shout “Jesus” during the assault.
The Case
The incident occurred in December 2020 at the late mother’s property of the deceased in Uyo. Edward, then a final-year civil engineering student at the University of Uyo, had moved into the compound to safeguard the estate after his mother’s death.
He later graduated with a first-class degree when the results were released.
Before her death, Edward’s mother had constructed a hall within the compound to establish a nursery school. The hall was subsequently rented to the church for an annual fee of N150,000. Edward lived in a two-bedroom flat inside the same compound with his younger brother.
Umoh was later posted to the church as its pioneer resident pastor. Over time, a dispute reportedly arose between him and Edward over rent money meant for repairs.
Witnesses told the court that on December 21, 2020 — the day of the murder — the pastor entered the compound. Minutes later, neighbours heard loud screams of “Jesus” from within.
The pastor allegedly emerged shortly after wearing a white garment stained with blood and claimed he had fallen while hanging a banner.
Five days later, on December 26, 2020, Edward’s decomposing body was discovered in his room, wrapped in a mat with deep cuts. A butcher’s knife was found beside the body.
The court found Umoh guilty of murder and sentenced him to death by hanging.
