In a landmark judgment delivered on Thursday, February 19, 2026, the Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has convicted and sentenced 29-year-old Prince Emmanuel Umoh, a resident pastor of Living Faith Church (also known as Winners Chapel) at the Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon branch, to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Bassey Edward.
Justice Gabriel Ette, presiding over the case, found the defendant guilty as charged following a trial that spanned nearly six years.
The court ruled that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Umoh stabbed the victim to death on December 21, 2020, at the deceased's residence in Ifa Ikot Ubo, Uyo.
The late Gabriel Bassey Edward, aged 23 at the time of the incident, was a 500-level Civil Engineering student at the University of Uyo.
He had relocated to his late mother's property to secure the estate and live closer to his school. Posthumously released academic results revealed that he graduated with First Class honours.
During the trial, evidence presented included witness testimonies establishing that the defendant entered the deceased's compound on the fateful day and was later seen leaving with bloodstains on his white garment.
The prosecution called six witnesses to substantiate the one-count charge of murder, under which Umoh was arraigned on December 6, 2021, and to which he pleaded not guilty.
In delivering the sentence, Justice Ette emphasized the sanctity of human life, stating that those who claim to represent God bear a greater responsibility to protect it rather than destroy it. "Having found you guilty as charged, I hereby sentence you to death by hanging," the judge declared.
The judgment concludes a prolonged legal process and underscores the judiciary's commitment to upholding justice in cases of violent crime, irrespective of the accused's status or position.
The convict has the right to appeal the decision within the stipulated period under Nigerian law.