A 52-year-old man, Nkereuwem Emah, was sentenced to death by hanging by a Uyo high court presided over by Justice Bassey Nkanang for killing his pregnant wife, whom he accused of infidelity.
Emah, a father of five from Mbiabam in the Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, was found guilty of murder and sentenced by the court on Friday.
On the 12th of February 2018, the accused killed his wife while she was sleeping in their home in Mbiabam, Ibiono Ibom LGA.
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The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the one count of murder when arraigned on December 6, 2018, in violation of Section 326(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Volume 2, Laws of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, 2000.
‘The verdict came after a four-year trial in which the prosecution called three witnesses, including Christian Sylvanus Etim, the deceased’s 10-year-old son, who described how his father committed the crime against his mother.
“On 12/2/2018, my father (the accused person) was a mechanic with the Water Board,” Mr Etim said. In the evening of the said date, he used a matchet. My mother was sound asleep. He cut my mother with it. My mother passed away. The incident occurred in the house where we all lived. In Itam, the village chief contacted the police. The cops arrived and asked if I wanted to accompany them to the station.”
The son’s testimony was backed up by his father, the accused, who had previously confessed to the police after being arrested following the incident.
“On December 2, 2018, around 4:30 a.m., I call my wife to inquire about how she became pregnant and who is to blame. I became irritated when she refused to respond to my questions.
“I cut her right hand with the big matchet.” She attempted to flee, but I cut her neck again, causing her to collapse. People in our neighbourhood told me that one Michael Udoh always slept with her whenever I left the house for work,” Emah said in his extrajudicial statement, which is an exhibit in front of the Court.
The trial judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang, described the act as a “callous, inexplicable, and inexcusable debasement of the marriage institution” in a nearly one-hour-long ruling on Friday.
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“The accused person, Nkereuwem Etim Emah, is hereby sentenced to death,” the court said. The sentence of the Court upon you, Nkereuwem Etim Emah, is that you be hanged by the neck until you die, in accordance with Section 339(2) of the Criminal Procedure Law, Cap 39, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, and may the Lord have mercy on your soul.”
The accused had previously pleaded with the Court to temper justice with mercy, allowing him to return home and care for his five children.
