An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting, in Uyo has fixed August 4, 2022, to deliver judgment in the trial of Uduak-Abasi Akpan, Frank Akpan and Anwan Bassey Akpan over the alleged rape and murder of a jobseeker, Miss Iniubong Umoren, in April 2021.

The trial judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang fixed the date yesterday after the two defense counsels and the prosecuting counsel adopted their final written addresses.

The principal suspect and first defendant Uduak-Abasi Akpan was arraigned on the two-count charge of rape and murder, while both his father (second defendant) Frank Akpan and sister Anwan-Bassey Akpan (third defendant) were charged for accessory after the fact to murder.

Adopting the address, Counsel to first defendant, Uduak-Abasi Akpan, Mr Samson Adula urged the court to discharge and acquit him in the overall interest of justice.

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Adula, who is the state chairman of Legal Aid Council, also prayed the court to discountenance the three confessional statements given by the first defendant in trial within trial. “My Lord, this is a case where the offences which the defendant was alleged to have committed was not witnessed by anybody,” Adula argued.

Adula while adopting the address on behalf of Mr. Abasidiong Ekpenyong, counsel of second and third defendants, who took permission to be represented, prayed the court to also discharge and acquit the second and third defendants.

His words: “I pray the court to discharge and acquit the second and third defendants. My Lord this is a case where the second and third defendants are charged for the offence of being accessory after the fact to murder.

“My Lord, we submit that both the prosecution and defence are all in agreement that the first defendant was arrested the day after the alleged date of commission of the offence.

“My Lord, the prosecution and defence are also in agreement that as at the time the first defendant was arrested, the offence for which the first defendant was arrested that day was offense of kidnapping and not murder, and as such the second and third defendants cannot be said to be accessory after the fact to murder.”

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He stressed that there was no evidence before the court and indicated that the second and third defendants knew that first defendant committed murder. He described the case of the third defendant as more pathetic as she was charged for the mere fact of communicating with her brother (first defendant).

“On the strength of that, we most respectfully pray to my Lord to specifically look at the status of the second defendant who is a senior citizen, having served this country for 35years should not be subjected to the ordeal that he is being subjected to presently,” Adula prayed.

However, the deputy Director Public Prosecution, (DPP) Friday Itim, while adopting the final address filed June on 16, 2022, faulted Adula’s submission that there was no evidence before the court that the second and third defendants were culpable of charge of accessory after the fact to murder.