Suspicion on the alleged murder of Godwin Ikoiwak, Akwa Ibom-born legal practitioner, Friday, took a dramatic twist as post mortem revealed the presence of organophosphate locally called otapiapia in his remains.
Ikoiwak, 41, a state counsel in the Akwa Ibom Ministry of Justice, was recently found dead in Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital under mysterious circumstances.
The sister of the deceased, Miss Nne Akpan Ikoiwak, at a news briefing in March 2022 in Abuja, called on the Inspector-General of Police and Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel, to help in unravelling the perpetrators of the murder.
Read also: Unravel perpetrators of Lawyer found Dead In Uyo- Family asks IGP
At the commencement of the suspected murder trial of the alleged husband killer, Abasiesebianga, and seven accused persons, Dr. Emeka Nwafor, Chief Pathologist at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, stated that post mortem performed on the late Ikoiwak at the instance of police investigating the matter on issue revealed bruises in his left eye.
Testifying as the first prosecution witness (PW1) in the witness box, Nwafor also disclosed the presence of organophosphate called (otapiapia in a native parlance) in the remains of Godwin Ikoiwak.
The prosecution team led by Christopher Udoh, the State Solicitor-General, together with Iniobong Essang, and Helena Obot, fielded the evidence-in-chief to counter non-guilty plea entered for the accused persons in the court.
The trial Judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang of Akwa Ibom State High Court 9, Uyo ordered that the alleged husband killer, Abasiesebianga Godwin, and other accused be remanded at Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre.
Justice Nkanang, therefore, adjourned the case to Thursday, October 27, 2022 for continuation of trial, following a non-guilty plea by all the accused persons standing trial in the criminal prosecution.
Earlier, the court had ordered the clerk to read the charges to all the accused persons in the case which included Abasiesenga, the wife of the late Godwin Ikoiwak; her mother, Margaret Umoh, her sister, Owoidoho Umoh; Dr. Imoh Johnson, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Ekong, the Administrator of St, Luke’s Hospital, Anua as well as Dr. Isaac Njoku, the Chief Medical Director of St, Luke’s Hospital, Anua.
Our correspondent reported that all the accused persons in the case pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit murder, murder accessory based on the unlawful purpose and issuance of false certificate by a public officer.
Recall that Ikoiwak was said to have driven himself to St. Luke’s Hospital, Anua, Uyo on suspicion of acute case of asthma wherein he was admitted at the emergency unit, examined, treated and unfortunately died of complications arising there from and his corpse was subsequently deposited in the mortuary.
However, suspicions and further probing from Godwin Ikoiwak family betrayed elements of foul play carefully orchestrated by the deceased wife, Abasiedebsnga; sister to the wife, Owoidoho Umoh; mother, Margret Umoh and others at large acted in unison to kill their son in-law, Godwin Ikoiwak and subsequently conveyed the corpse to the mortuary at St. Luke’s Hospital, Anua.
The reports further alleged that the wife and members of her family standing trial allegedly procured a false medical report from the hospital making the intentional killing to have semblance of quick and sudden onslaught of killer ailment in the mould of asthma resulting in the death of Godwin Ikoiwak.
This inkling gathered momentum as it was difficult for the personnel at St. Luke’s Hospital to present the deceased’s medical file to his family for perusal as and when he was admitted at the emergency unit of the hospital for treatment.
However, the stage is set for a legal battle that is unfolding as the prosecution team led by the Solicitor-General, Christopher Udoh, and the defense team comprising Anthony Ekoe, Otobong Inyang, Ekemini Uba, C. I. Odo, I. U. Ofodile, begin to navigate the legal labyrinth with a view to resolving this legal conundrum laced with the trappings of a tapestry.
Mac Johnson Odey maintains the role of watching brief for Godwin Ikoiwak’s family.
Reported by Effiong Edet of Ministry of Justice, Press Unit
