High court acquitted Akwa Ibom palm wine tapper accused of killing

The Akwa Ibom  High Court, located in the Ikot Ekpene metropolitan area in the state, has released and acquitted  Udo George, a 52-year-old man on a murder charge. In  the accused, born in Essien Udim, was tried for murder. 

 In Friday's sentencing, Judge Ntong Ntong ruled that the prosecution had failed to fulfill its responsibility to prove the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. Ntong said: "The evidence of the deceased's father, Mr. Sunday Umoren, created a rift in the courtroom that raised doubts about who actually killed his son." The judge thus settled the doubts in favor of the defendant, the palm winemaker. 

 Judge Ntong ruled that the evidence from the prosecution's witnesses was based on suspicion because the deceased's father  could not tell the court who killed his 25-year-old son. 

 He pointed out that the police did not present significant witnesses because of rumors of two officers investigating the case. 

 “Police investigations in the criminal process are designed to help the courts uncover the truth  in order to effectively bring justice to a bloodsucking deceased who seeks vengeance. "The country has been depleted of its population as a result of the illegal killing of defendants who are presumed innocent under the Constitution," he added.  The judge said his son James Sunday believed the deceased's father's testimony that the accused fell  and died before hitting him with a bamboo stick.

 The court ruled that "there is no disputed evidence that the accused  met the deceased's father and his son who beat him up on charges of causing inconvenience to the family by walking naked in the village, and there is no evidence that the deceased had died." A patient with epilepsy and sickle cells was tested.” Judge Ntong said, “The evidence was left with him.” “I had a vague idea of ​​who killed the deceased and cannot act  to convict the accused by guessing, imagining, aggravated suspicion or emotion. "

" In this regard, I respectfully believe that the prosecution has failed to establish beyond a reasonable doubt this accusation of murder  against the accused. I  dismiss and the accused  Udo Effiong George is accordingly released and acquitted,” Judge Ntong ruled.