A High Court sitting in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced a 27-year-old man, Edinyanga Samuel Akpan, to death by hanging for the murder of his uncle, Kufre Godwin Eno, following an allegation of witchcraft.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, the trial judge, Justice Pius Idiong, found the defendant guilty of a one-count charge of murder, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court heard that the incident occurred on December 4, 2017, at Ikot Inyang Okon, in Eket Local Government Area of the state.

According to evidence presented before the court, the convict stabbed the deceased in the chest with a knife during a disagreement allegedly linked to accusations of witchcraft.

The victim was subsequently rushed to Emmanuel General Hospital, Eket, where he was later confirmed dead by medical personnel.

Akpan, a native of Ikot Obioro in Eket Local Government Area and a primary school dropout, had pleaded not guilty at the commencement of trial.

However, at the point of judgment, he appealed to the court for leniency, expressing remorse over the incident.

In his ruling, Justice Idiong held that the act of the convict was both intentional and unlawful, stressing that the ingredients of the offence of murder had been sufficiently established by the prosecution.

The judge noted that, under the law, murder is a capital offence which attracts a mandatory sentence, leaving the court with no discretion to impose a lesser punishment.

Consequently, he sentenced the defendant to death by hanging, while also offering prayers for mercy on his soul.

The judgment brings to a close a protracted legal battle that lasted about nine years.

The case was prosecuted by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice, led by U.F. Effiong, Assistant Chief State Counsel, while the defendant was represented by Victor Udeh.

The matter, which experienced multiple reassignments, was initially handled by Justice Nsemeke Daniel before being transferred to Justice Ezekiel Enang, and was eventually concluded by Justice Pius Idiong after the trial commenced afresh.