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A High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced a resident pastor of the Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel, to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Justice Gabriel Ette delivered the verdict on Thursday after finding 29-year-old Prince Emmanuel Umoh guilty of killing Gabriel Bassey Edward, a final-year Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The court heard that Edward, whose academic results released after his death showed he graduated with First Class honours, had moved into his late mother\u2019s property at Ifa Ikot Ubo\u2013Ifa Ikot Okpon to safeguard the family estate and remain close to school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before her death in December 2019, Edward\u2019s mother had established a nursery school within the compound. He occupied a two-bedroom flat attached to a large hall originally built for school activities but later leased to a church congregation for worship at an annual rent of N150,000. The arrangement received the approval of Edward\u2019s father, retired school principal Emana Bassey Edward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Evidence before the court showed that the church began using the hall even before completing payment, and Umoh was subsequently posted there as the first resident pastor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Testimony revealed that on December 21, 2020, the pastor was seen entering the compound. Neighbours later reported hearing loud shouts of \u201cJesus\u201d from within the premises. Shortly afterwards, Umoh emerged wearing a white garment stained with blood, claiming he had fallen while attempting to hang a banner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Edward was not seen alive again after that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His decomposing body was discovered on December 26, a day after Christmas, inside his room. The corpse had been wrapped in a mat and bore several deep cuts. A butcher\u2019s knife was recovered beside the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Investigators arrested the pastor after establishing that he was the last person seen with the victim and could not give a satisfactory explanation for blood stains found on his clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Umoh was arraigned on December 6, 2021, on a one-count charge of murder, to which he pleaded not guilty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the trial, the prosecution called six witnesses, including the deceased\u2019s father, who narrated how disputes developed after the church requested permission to store chairs and equipment inside Edward\u2019s flat because the rented hall lacked doors and windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the family agreed, the arrangement later became a source of friction, as Edward was frequently required to leave wherever he was to grant access to the items without reimbursement for transport expenses. Following complaints, his father instructed him to hand over a spare key to the pastor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soon after, personal belongings belonging to Edward\u2019s late mother, including clothing and household items, reportedly began disappearing. Suspicion centred on the pastor, who admitted the spare key had gone missing when questioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The issue was reported to the church\u2019s senior pastor, Owoidoho Etuk Akpan, who testified for the defence. He told the court he provided N5,000 to enable the family replace the locks. No further thefts were reported after the locks were changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The court also heard that tensions later escalated between both men over rent payments meant for repairs on the property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a judgment that lasted more than two hours, Justice Ette described the case as deeply troubling, noting the efforts of the deceased\u2019s late mother to build the property for educational purposes before her death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The judge held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt, stressing that human life remains sacred and that betrayal of public trust, particularly within a religious setting, could not be tolerated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Umoh was subsequently sentenced to death by hanging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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