Winners pastor to die by hanging for killing A’Ibom landlord

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The Resident Pastor of Living Faith Church Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon Branch, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Umoh, has been sentenced to death by hanging.

Umoh was sentenced by Justice Gabriel Ette of the state High Court for killing a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo, Gabriel Bassey, who was also his landlord.

The pastor was convicted for stabbing Edward to death on December 21, 2020, at Ifa Ikot Ubo in the Uyo Local Government Area of the state.

The court was informed that the deceased relocated to his late mother’s property at Ifa Ikot Ubo to secure the estate and also live closer to school.

His mother, before her death in December 2019, had established a nursery school on the property.

Evidence before the court indicated that the late landlord lived in a two-bedroom flat attached to a long hall within the compound alongside his younger brother, Emmanuel Bassey.

The hall, originally constructed for school purposes, was later rented to Living Faith Church at an annual rent of N150,000, with the consent of his father, Emana Bassey, a retired school principal.

The church was allowed to commence use of the hall, even before full payment of rent, it was gathered.

The convict was subsequently posted to the branch as its pioneer resident pastor.

Evidence presented before the court revealed further that on December 21, 2020, the defendant was seen entering the deceased’s compound, after which the neighbours began to hear screams of “Jesus” from inside the premises.

Shortly afterwards, the defendant emerged wearing a white garment stained with blood, claiming he fell off while attempting to hang a banner.