The protracted case of the murder of a prominent lawyer, Barr. Godwin Ikoiwak, in the employ of the Akwa Ibom State government has finally been concluded with five of the six accused persons convicted after being found guilty of conspiracy in the killing of the deceased through poison.
Akwa Ibom State High Court 9 sitting in Uyo, the state capital headed by Justice Bassey Nkanang, pronounced a combined 28 years jail sentences 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.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the state had filed a case against the deceased’s wife in 2022 for allegedly murdering her husband, the late Barr. Ikoiwak, a state counsel employed by the state Ministry of Justice, who was locked in paternity dispute with his wife and in-laws concerning the rightful owner of his children before he was poisoned.
The particulars of the case noted that after autopsy, he was discovered to have died of poisoning from ingested organophosphate, popularly called in local parlance as “Ota piapia” while on a visit to his mother in-law, Madam Margaret Patrick Umoh, the second defendant.
The corpse was also reported to have unexplained physical injuries on the left eye socket, neck and wrist.
To cover up, however, Rev. Father Mbeke, a popular Catholic priest and 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. Father Ekong then 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.
However, the trial Judge, Justice Nkanang, after reviewing the history of the case, evidences from witnesses, exhibits, submissions of the prosecution and defence in a detailed judgement which lasted two hours and 40 minutes, convicted the five defendants while the 6th, Dr Isaac Njoku, was discharged and acquitted.
Justice Nkanang said the reduced sentences was because they were first offenders as well as age and state of health considerations.
Speaking after the judgement, counsel to the 4th defendant, Effiong Abia, told journalists that he intended to appeal the judgment which convicted his client and sentenced him to two years in prison for issuing false document.
Also, the family of late Barr. Godwin Ikoiwak expressed displeasure over the judgement.
Speaking on behalf of the family, a friend to the deceased , Mr Sunny Anyanwu, whom the late Barr. Godwin Ikoiwak had called to inform that he was going to the wife’s village in Ikono LGA to report the paternal issue of his children, and which telephone conversation was admitted as exhibit, described the judgemental as “a miscarriage of justice.” The state has already served notice of intention to Appeal.
