Miss Uduak Umoh, a resident of Lekki in Lagos and close friend of The Late Miss Iniobong Umoren, told the court on Monday that Iniubong Umoren had told her on April 29 that she was travelling to Uruan Local Government Area for a job interview, but that she did not have transportation fare.
The witness, who was a classmate of Iniubong Umoren at the University of Uyo, Department of Philosophy, narrated to Justice Bassey Nkanang’s court how she facilitated Iniubong’s journey to the job interview with two thousand naira cash transfer.
Miss Umoh, currently a the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, said the late friend sent her the contact of the person who invited her (Iniubong) for an interview and the location.
However, the tragic turn of events came when she received the frantic voice notes of Iniubong on Whatsapp. Umoh said she responded immediately, calling Iniubong but was terrified to hear her screaming and then an abrupt end of the call.
After unsuccessful repeated attempts to reach her friend via phone calls, the witness said she made a social media post tagging the face of Uduak Frank Akpan, the accused murderer on Facebook.
The witness explained to the Court that one Miriam Akpan responded to the social media post saying she had been a victim of Uduak Frank Akpan and his fake job interview in his hometown, Uruan, where he sexually assaulted her, took her nude pictures, and seized her phone with the help of his sister, Bassey Anwan Akpan, who is the third accused person in the charge.
Miss Umoh was cross-examined after giving her testimony, and the fourth prosecution witness, Miss Ifiok Umoren, the deceased’s elder sister, supported the third prosecution witness’ testimony in her own testimony.
Miss Ifiok Umoren testified in court that she had reported her younger sister missing to the Police in Uruan, who told her to wait for 48 hours before coming back to the station to lodge the notice.
She said at the expiration of the 48 hours, on May 1, 2021, she went to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of Akwa Ibom State Police Command’s Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia where she was told that Uduak Frank Akpan had confessed that he killed Iniubong Umoren and buried her in a shallow grave in his residence, Uruan.
Before adjourning the matter, the presiding judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang, made a case for lawyers to take steps towards reviewing the 48 hours rule on Police investigation of missing persons cases, as such could save lives of missing people who are in danger.
The case was adjourned to today, November 16, 2021 for the evidence of the Medical Doctor who carried out the autopsy and the Investigation Police Officer.
