An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced a 29-year-old resident pastor of Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel, to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Bassey Edward.
The judgment was delivered on Thursday by Justice Gabriel Ette, who found Prince Emmanuel Umoh guilty of killing Edward, a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo. The deceased was later confirmed to have graduated with First Class honours, according to academic results released after his death.
The incident occurred at Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon in Uyo, where Edward had moved into his late mother’s property to safeguard the estate and live closer to school. Before her death in December 2019, his mother had established a nursery school within the compound.
Part of the compound—a long hall initially constructed for school activities—was later rented to Living Faith Church for worship at an annual rent of ₦150,000, with the approval of Edward’s father, Emana Bassey Edward, a retired school principal. The church reportedly began using the hall before completing payment, and Umoh was subsequently posted there as the first resident pastor.
Court proceedings revealed that on December 21, 2020, Umoh was seen entering the compound. Neighbours later reported hearing loud shouts of “Jesus” from within the premises. Shortly afterward, the pastor was seen leaving the compound wearing a white garment stained with blood, claiming he had fallen while attempting to hang a banner.
Edward was not seen alive again after that day. On December 26, 2020, his decomposing body was discovered inside his room, wrapped in a mat with multiple deep cuts. A butcher’s knife was reportedly recovered at the scene.
Umoh was arrested as the last person seen with the deceased and was found with blood stains on his clothing without a satisfactory explanation. He was charged with one count of murder and arraigned on December 6, 2021, where he pleaded not guilty.
During the trial, the prosecution called six witnesses, including the deceased’s father. The court heard that after the church began using the hall, the pastor requested permission to store church chairs and other items inside Edward’s flat due to the hall lacking doors and windows. The request was granted.
However, tensions reportedly arose when Edward was frequently required to return home to grant access to the stored items, even when he was away, without reimbursement for transport costs. Following complaints, his father instructed him to provide the pastor with a spare key.
Subsequently, personal belongings belonging to Edward’s late mother reportedly went missing. Suspicion fell on the pastor due to his access to the key. When questioned, he claimed the key had been lost. The matter was escalated to the church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Etuk Akpan, who appeared as a defence witness and provided ₦5,000 to enable the family change the locks. After the locks were replaced, no further items were reported missing.
The court also heard that further disagreements developed between the pastor and the deceased over rent payments allegedly intended for repairs.
In a judgment that lasted over two hours, Justice Ette described the case as painful, noting the efforts of the deceased’s late mother in developing the property for educational purposes. The court held that the prosecution had proven the charge beyond reasonable doubt.
Emphasising that life is sacred and that individuals in positions of trust, particularly within religious settings, must be held accountable, the judge sentenced Umoh to death by hanging.
