Metro

Akwa Ibom: Jubilation As Court Sentences Man To Death By Hanging

Published

4 weeks ago

April 2, 2024

The people of Idung Ntuk Umah in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have been celebrating over the sentencing of one Udobong Stephen Adiahaunwa to death by the Akwa Ibom State High Court.

Udobong, aged 48, a father of two and brother to the late Village Head of Idung Ntuk Umah, Gabriel Adiahaunwa, was sentenced by Justice Gabriel Ette after he was convicted on a four count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery and terrorism.

The particulars of the case shows that Udobong Stephen Adiahaunwa, who was earlier banned from his village because of his atrocities, stormed the community on 29th December, 2009 with his gang dressed like SARS Police operatives and whisked away one Friday Jackson Joe in a Hilux vehicle to an unknown location.

The victim has not been found till date.

Again, on 28th February, 2019, Udobong, the primary five dropout was said to have brought cultists in Police uniforms to his community and robbed the treasurer of the village, Mr Ediomo Sunday Udoidio, of N970,000 being the proceeds from the sales of the community palm fruits.

On 29th April, 2021, he again imported cultists in army uniform and robbed the Village Palm Estate treasurer, Mr Ubong William Henry, of N850,000, being the money the Idung Ntuk Umah realised from sales of palm fruits.

It is also on record that on 5th June, 2020, the convicted armed robber returned to his village with members of his secret cult and forcefully initiated teenagers into the group, forcing many to flee from the village while others continued to live in fear.

Udobong was arrested and detained at Akwa Ibom State Police Command’s Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, but was released, prompting the community to petition the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6 Headquarters, Calabar.

In June 2020, the convict was arrested by operatives of the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department, Zone 6 Headquarters, but was granted bail and he disappeared with his surety.

While in his hideout, he sued the complainant and the Police for breaching his fundamental rights but was rearrested on 4th December, 2020 and charged to court.

In a one hour judgement, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Ette, found Udobong Stephen Adiahaunwa guilty of conspiring with his gang members now at large and robbing his victims.

He thereafter sentenced him to death by hanging.

“From the totality of my findings, I find as a fact that the prosecution has proved counts 1, 2 and 3 against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

“I find the defendant guilty and convict him accordingly,” the judge declared.

The judgement attracted the complainants and other indigenes of Idung Ntuk Umah, who filled the courtroom to the brim, forcing the authorities to lock the entrance to the court premises.

The Idung Ntuk Umah community celebrated the condemnation of a man they described as “a terror and a nightmare to his community” and applauded Justice Gabriel Ette for his judgement, which they said had restored the confidence of the people in the judiciary.

Metro

[JUST IN] PICTURES: Hoodlums Clash In Lagos, Set Market On Fire

Published

1 hour ago

May 2, 2024

Editor

Many people were injured after hoodlums clashed in the Ile-Epo area of Lagos State.

Punch Metro gathered that a fight started in the market situated in the area on Wednesday night and continued till Thursday morning.

Some shops were set on fire while some goods were destroyed in the process.

The PUNCH correspondent who visited the scene of the incident gathered that an early intervention by the police was restricted by the hoodlums.

A fire service truck that drove into the market this morning was also forced to reverse after being pelted with stones.

Metro

Protest Rocks Edo Community Over Plans To Withdraw Security

Published

6 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Editor

Indigenes of over 22 communities in Inikorogha, Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State, on Wednesday, staged a peaceful protest over plans to withdraw the security agencies maintaining peace in the area.

The protesters who came out in large numbers carried different placards with various inscriptions such as, “Come to our aid, Mr Governor”; We need peace to do our business in Inikorogha”; and “Armed robbers come here to rape & rob our wives and women” among others.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday, the Chairman of Inikorogha community, Friday Benson, appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki to see to the extension and increase of security personnel in the community instead of withdrawing them.

He said, “What we are saying in essence is that nobody should truncate the effort of the governor with plans to remove security operatives from our communities. We know some highly placed individuals are behind this move but it won’t work. Security has greatly improved in the last one and a half years.

“In the past, we suffered serious attacks by criminal elements but now, we have a strong presence of security personnel with the deployment of special forces at Mile 3. Their presence has halted the activities of unscrupulous elements in the area.”

The Chairman of the Elders Council, Philip Polo, called for more deployment of security operatives while commending the governor for the road construction in Inikorogha.

He added, “We want to first of all thank Governor Obaseki; he has performed well in terms of infrastructure but sadly that has given birth to some unscrupulous criminals that have made Inikorogha uninhabitable.

“But when the security personnel came, everybody was relieved. The situation now is that these same people are trying to pull the strings from behind. We have information that they are trying to ensure that the special forces are withdrawn,” he added.

Metro

19-year-old Convicted For Dating, Impregnating 14-year-old Sister

Published

14 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Editor

A 19-year-old man arraigned before Mutawatawa magistrate on charges of having sexual intercourse with his 14-year-old sister in Uzumba, Zimbabwe, has been convicted.

It was gathered that in January 2023, the 19-year-old man decided to take things a notch up bizarrely as he chatted with his sister. He asked his sister to be his girlfriend. Strangely, the 14-year-old admitted to feeling the same way for her brother.

The two decided to hit it off and start dating. They decided to keep their relationship under wraps, knowing how much trouble it would attract if ever known.

During their relationship, the 19-year-old man convinced his sister to have sex with him. She agreed, and the two did the act on different occasions, both at home and in the garden. However, the girl later got pregnant and this was noticed by their grandmother.

Upon being questioned, she revealed her brother was responsible. The grandmother reported the case to the police, leading to the 19-year-old man’s arrest for incest. He appeared in a Mutawatawa Court, where the Magistrate sentenced him to 14 months in jail. Two months were struck off, and he will serve an effective 12 months.