An Akwa Ibom legal practitioner is still in shock over what led to his arrest and detention in Ikot Ekpene Correctional Centre in the state for almost one year.
Mr. Abasiono Udomfu, a lawyer was fingered in the alleged murder of Ukanafun Local Government Council Secretary, Mr. Ime Atakpa in June 2016.
Based on this, Udomfu, a one-time Transition Chairman of Ukanafun Local Government Council, was arrested and detained in Akwa Ibom Police Command, Ikot Akpan Abia in May 2017 and kept in the custody for 24 days.
Later, he was thrown into the Correctional Centre, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area in June 2017 for 11 solid months without trial or bail.
The correctional centre was built and inaugurated about nine years ago after the demolition of Ikot Ekpene and Abak Prisons said to have defaced the image of the state because of their strategic locations along major axis.
While in the prison, Udomfu petitioned God on the title ‘’Prayer request/Points’’ using the prison as his temporary address.
He gave it for typing in the prisons premises, handed over a copy to his wife who photocopied and sent to churches for prayers. The prayer request was leaked to social media and it went viral.
In the prayer request dated July 23, 2017, the ex-council helmsman wrote ‘’The accusation against me is that I masterminded the killing of the immediate past secretary of Ukanafun Local Government Council. God knows that I NEVER had any discussion of such with anybody, talk less of masterminding the killing of the deceased…’’
Udomfu, therefore, petitioned God thus, ‘’Let my family and I be cursed for life if I ever masterminded the killing of the deceased. Let my false accusers, false witnesses, conspirators and their families be and remained cursed, disgraced, exposed and punished for all generations in Jesus name. Let God send forth His truth and let justice prevail in this matter…’’
”I am confident that the God of the innocent will vindicate me in Jesus name. Amen! I hope to return soonest,’’ Udomfu concluded.
Later, he and other co-accusers were bailed and taken to court for prosecution.
The case was between the State and Saturday Etim Isong, Barr. Abasiono Jackson Udomfu as well as Akaninyene Sunday Iwok as the accused.
The matter that lasted for sometime was struck out by Akwa Ibom High Court No. 4, Uyo in favour of Udomfu and his co-travellers in the legal debacle on June 22, 2021.
His lawyer, Ekpenyong Ntekim whom Udomfu saw as his god pledged his property to fulfill a N50 million bail condition needed by the court.
The court presided over by Justice Archibong E. Archibong ruled ‘’that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt against the accused persons in counts 1, 11, 111 of the charge against them.’’
”That Saturday Etim Isong aka Saty (1st accused person); Barr. Abasiono Jackson Udomfu (2nd accused person) and Akaninyene Sunday Iwok (3rd accused person) be and are hereby found not guilty and are accordingly discharged and acquitted in respect of Counts 1, 11 and 111 of the charge against them,’’ Justice Archibong declared.
As an appreciation to God for his vindication, Udomfu invited relations, friends, associates for thanksgiving service in Qua Iboe Church, 2 Abak Road, Uyo on Sunday, August 29, 2021.
The preacher, Rev. Iniobong Ekong who read from PS 108:1- mentioned deliverance, protection, victory and freedom as reasons people should always thank God.
Preaching on the theme ”Reasons we should thank God,’’ the clergyman urged the congregation to always thank God for everything and particularly commended Udomfu for remembering to thank God for vindicating him in the murder case, saying others would have taken it for granted.
Udomfu, the celebrator thanked God for vindicating him after years of accusation on a matter he never masterminded.
A son of retired QIC pastor, Udomfu thanked Ekpenyong Ntekim, a lawyer and one-time state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, his beloved wife, children and others for standing by him during the difficult time.
Narrating his prison experiences to Straightnews publisher in Uyo on September 4, Udomfu bemoaned the worrying state of Ikot Ekpene Correctional Centre and his travails in the centre.
”I was in a cell with 200 inmates. In that cell, there was only one toilet facility. I was there close to one year. I am surprised because if the place is a correctional centre, I see no reason why it should be called so.
”From the gate of prison, each time someone came on a visit, the person had to pay N300. At the gate lounge, the visitor had to pay another N300. The prison official still collected money on supervision from your visitor. That was the experience we had. Another case was the high-handedness of the prison officials.
”I recall when I was in a single cell, a snake came in as a cell mate. I discovered it in the morning and had to kill it. There was no light. That is why some people go blind in the prison. More worrying was that we used to urinate into a single pail and used the urine to flush our toilet facility.
”There are some inmates who do not have money to pay for bed space. There would be squatting throughout the period their case would last. They are called ‘corridor.’ Whatever they call correctional centre, I am yet to align myself with that. There is nothing correctional about it. I intend to codify my experiences in prison in one document about my travails,’’ Udomfu narrated.
