An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced a 29-year-old resident pastor of Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, Prince Emmanuel Umoh, to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Bassey Edward.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Gabriel Ette found Umoh guilty of stabbing Edward, a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo, to death in December 2020.
According to evidence presented before the court, the deceased had relocated to his late mother’s property at Ifa Ikot Ubo in Uyo to manage the estate and live closer to school. The property included a hall rented to Living Faith Church for worship activities at an annual fee of N150,000. Umoh was later posted to the branch as its pioneer resident pastor.
The prosecution told the court that on December 21, 2020, the defendant was seen entering the compound. Neighbours reportedly heard loud screams from the premises. Days later, on December 26, Edward’s decomposing body was discovered in his room, wrapped in a mat with multiple stab wounds. A knife was recovered at the scene.
The court heard that Umoh had earlier been given access to the deceased’s flat to store church property. However, tensions arose over missing items and disputes relating to rent and access to the premises.
Umoh was arraigned on December 6, 2021, on a one-count charge of murder and pleaded not guilty. The prosecution called six witnesses in support of its case.
In a judgment that lasted over two hours, Justice Ette held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. He described the incident as tragic and condemned the conduct of a religious leader taking a life within church premises.
“Life is sacred and those who represent God on earth should teach that,” the judge said, adding that the convict’s actions amounted to a grave betrayal of public trust.
The court subsequently sentenced Umoh to death by hanging.