Court Sentences Pastor to Death for Killing UniUyo Student

Court Sentences Pastor to Death for Killing UniUyo Student
Tensions reportedly escalated over issues relating to rent payments and repairs before the fatal incident
The court heard that Bassey had moved into his late mother’s property to safeguard the estate and live closer to school

The Akwa Ibom State High Court has sentenced Emmanuel Umoh, resident pastor of Living Faith Church Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon branch in Uyo, to death by hanging for the murder of a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo, Gabriel Bassey.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that Justice Gabriel Ette delivered the judgment after finding Umoh guilty of stabbing Bassey, who was also his landlord, to death on December 21, 2020, at Ifa Ikot Ubo in Uyo Local Government Area.

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The court heard that Bassey had moved into his late mother’s property to safeguard the estate and live closer to school. His mother had established a nursery school on the premises before her death in 2019. A hall within the compound was later rented to Living Faith Church at an annual rent of N150,000 with the consent of Bassey’s father, Emana Bassey, a retired school principal.

Umoh was posted to the branch as its pioneer resident pastor.

Evidence before the court revealed that on the day of the incident, the defendant was seen entering the deceased’s compound. Neighbours later reported hearing screams of “Jesus” from inside. Umoh subsequently emerged wearing a white garment stained with blood, claiming he had fallen while attempting to hang a banner.

Five days later, on December 26, 2020, Bassey’s decomposing body was discovered in his room, wrapped in a mat, with multiple stab wounds and a butcher’s knife found beside him.

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The prosecution presented six witnesses, including the deceased’s father. Testimony showed that the defendant had earlier requested access to store church property inside Bassey’s flat. After being given a spare key, items belonging to the deceased’s late mother reportedly went missing. The defendant later claimed he had lost the key, prompting the locks to be changed. No further items were reported missing afterward.

Tensions reportedly escalated over issues relating to rent payments and repairs before the fatal incident.

In a judgment lasting over two hours, Justice Ette described the case as “very sympathetic” and condemned the act, particularly given the defendant’s position as a religious leader.

“Life is sacred and those who represent God on earth should teach that. It is an irony and quite appalling when a man who claims to be the representative of the divine stoops so low as to take someone’s life on church premises,” the judge stated.

The court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced Umoh to death by hanging.