A father of seven from Ikot Ossom, Obot Akara local government area in Akwa Ibom State was, Thursday, sentenced to death by hanging for killing his wife.
An Ikot Ekpene High Court presided over by Justice Ntong Ntong convicted Friday John Uko on a one-count charge of murder.
The convict was said to have kicked his three-month-old pregnant wife, Patience on August 14, 2014, because she removed N1,000 from his pocket to buy food for their seven children: six of whom are girls.
Justice Ntong, expressed concern that a pregnant wife who should have been pampered and cared for, by her husband, was killed by the same man.
The judge ruled that “The accused pushed his wife down having known that she was pregnant and that he ought to know that a pregnant woman ought to be pampered and treated with love and not violence.”
Justice Ntong held that “The case is straightforward and that the accused had told the Court through his extra-judicial statement, that he caused the death of his wife by kicking her because of misunderstanding over N1000.”
He ruled that “anyone who unlawfully kills another is entitled to face the law” saying that the instant death of the pregnancy wife on the spot showed the intention to kill and the force the husband exerted in pushing his wife down.
The judge ordered that Uko be hanged until he dies, and prayed God to have mercy on his soul.
The convict, whose lawyer was not present in Court, had pleaded for mercy to enable him to go home and take care of his children.
