Akwa Ibom man sentenced to death by hanging for beheading brother

By Egufe Yafugborhi, Uyo

An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced 29-year-old Akaninyene Thomas Okpon to death by hanging for the gruesome murder of his elder brother, Friday Thomas Enyenokpon.

The incident occurred in Ikot Abasi Asutan, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, where Akaninyene, a father of three, and his late elder brother, Ime Thomas Okpon, ambushed and killed the victim in 2018. The court heard that the accused beheaded their sibling while he was checking his hunting traps and buried the head separately, accusing him of witchcraft and being responsible for their misfortunes.

Delivering judgment on Thursday in Suit No. HU/5C/2019, Justice Okon Okon ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, citing Akaninyene’s confessional statement and other corroborating evidence.

The court noted that the convict, who dropped out of school in primary three, had previously issued death threats to the deceased and other family members. He also led police investigators to the crime scene, where the remains of the victim were recovered.

Justice Okon declared: “The sentence of the Court upon you, Akaninyene Thomas Okpon, is that you be hanged by the neck until you are dead.”

Additionally, the court ordered the forfeiture of the murder weapons — two machetes, admitted as Exhibits 1 and 1A — to the state.

Akaninyene’s co-accused, Ime Thomas Okpon, died in custody during the course of the trial.
The post Akwa Ibom man sentenced to death by hanging for beheading brother appeared first on Vanguard News.