Protest As Court Frees Catholic Priest Convicted In Murder Conspiracy

After spending just 12 days in the Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Medium Custodial Centre (MCC), Justice Winifred Umohandi of the state High Court, has granted bail to the administrator of Saint Luke’s Hospital, Anua, Rev. Father Gabriel Ekong, on health grounds.

Father Ekong, was among the five defendants convicted by the state High Court about two weeks ago.

The cleric was to serve two-year term (concurrently) for being an accessory after the fact of murder of late Barr. Goodwin Ikoiwak, a principal state counsel in the employ of the Ministry of Justice.

Ikoiwak, LEADERSHIP gathered, was said have been killed through a lethal poisoning during his visit to his inlaws at Itak village in Ikono local government area  to investigate and resolve the paternity issues surrounding his two children alleged to have been a product of his wife’s alleged congugal relationship with a certain reverend father.

However, the state High Court 9, headed by Justice Bassey Nkanang, pronounced a combined 28-year jail sentence on the wife; Mrs. Abasieseabanga Godwin Ikoiwak (two years); her aged mother, Mrs. Margaret Patrick Umoh (10 years);. her sister, Owoidoho Patrick Umoh (10 years) as well as Dr. Imoh Johnson, and Rev. Father Gabriel Ekong of St. Luke’s Hospital, Annua – two and four years respectively for deliberate complicity.

Our correspondent recalls that the state had filed a case against the deceased’s wife in 2022, for allegedly murdering her husband, who was locked in paternity dispute with his wife and in-laws concerning the rightful father of the children before he was poisoned.

The particulars of the case noted that after autopsy, the deceased was discovered to have died of poisoning from ingested organophosphate, popularly called “Ota piapia”, in local parlance while on a visit to his mother-in-law, Madam Margaret Patrick Umoh (2nd defendant), oblivious of the death ploy.

The corpse was also reported to have unexplained physical injuries on the left eye socket, neck and wrist.

To cover up, Rev. Father Mbeke, a popular Catholic priest in Nigeria, a friend of the family, was said to have called his fellow priest, Rev. Father Gabriel Ekong, the administrator of St Luke’s Hospital, to receive the corpse.

Thereafter, Father Ekong, was said to have instructed Dr. Imoh Johnson, to open a file, issue a medical report and death certificate, which falsely claimed that the deceased was admitted and treated for asthma before he died at the hospital.

After reviewing the history of the case including evidence and exhibits from witnesses as well as the submissions of the prosecution and defence, Justice Nkanang, in a detailed judgement that lasted for two hours and 40 minutes, convicted five of the six defendants, while the 6th defendant – Dr Isaac Njoku, was discharged and acquitted.

But after about 12 days in the prison, Father Ekong, was released on the order of the court following the granting of his application for bail.

On July 1, 2023 Anthony Ekpe, counsel to the applicant filed a motion on notice seeking his release on health grounds, citing hypertension as medical condition requiring his freedom, which the state that prosecuted the case on behalf of the deceased’s family opposed.

On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, when the application came up for ruling, Barr Samuel Ikpo leading Anthony Ekpe and another, insisted that the health condition of Ekong was special and exceptional enough for the court to grant the application for bail as prayed.

In his argument against the application, Bar Joseph Umoren, counsel of the respondent (the state ) urged the court to discountenance the medical report upon which the application drew its strength.

He noted that the Report coming from the same hospital which falsified records leading to the conviction of the Applicant in the first place should be looked at with suspicion.

He also pointed out that there was no comment about the Applicant’s medical condition from the custodial centre and that the ailments itself can, and is manageable, but Justice Umohandi, overruled and granted the bail as prayed.

in the sum of N2 million and two sureties in like sum, holding that the sureties must be Reverend Fathers from the Uyo Catholic Diocese, and whose Parishes must be within Uyo Judicial Division.