JOSEPH OLUBUNMI KAYODE OYEWOLE, J.C.A.(Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an appeal against the judgment of the High Court of Akwa Ibom State sitting in Itu Judicial Division delivered on the 27th February, 2017 by EDEM AKPAN J convicting the Appellant for murder and sentencing him to death.
The antecedent facts were that that the Appellant was arraigned alongside a co-accused before the trial Court on 13th June, 2016 on two counts of conspiracy to commit murder and murder of one Glory Ubong Friday. They both pleaded not guilty and trial commenced immediately. 4 witnesses testified for the prosecution comprising PW1 the Village Council Chairman of Ikot Otu, Itu Village where the incident took place and the community to which the Appellant belonged, PW2 the Village Head of the said Village and PW3 and PW4, the police investigators. The evidence tendered included the blood stained machete recovered from the residence of the Appellant, the photographs of the mangled corpse of the d…