Man to die by hanging for killing two over witchcraft

A 28-years-old man, Utibe Akpan Umanah, a native of Ntak Ikot Akpan village in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has been sentenced to death over the murder of Aniekere Samuel Udoudo and Udoette Maffiong, both indigenes of Ntak Ikot Akpan community in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

Justice Ntong Festus Ntong of the Ikot Ekpene Judicial Division of the Akwa Ibom State High Court, who delivered the ruling on the matter on Friday, held that the convict was liable to death, having murdered his friends.

Umanah claimed in his confessional statement that he was sent by the ‘Angel of God’ to kill his two friends because of their involvement in witchcraft. After receiving the instruction from the ‘Angel,’ the convict said he reported the matter to the village council, adding that failure to carry out the order by the community as directed by the ‘Angel’ compelled him to enforce the divine ‘order’.

Determined not to flout the ‘Angel’s’ command, Umanah said he laid ambush for the ‘witches’ at the community primary school field while the duo were playing football and hacked them with a machete.