20-year-old Uduak Akpan was on Thursday sentenced to death by hanging for raping and murdering Iniubong Umoren.
The Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State, Uko Udom, on Thursday said he was not surprised that Uduak Akpan, attempted to escape after the court pronounced that he was going to die by hanging for raping and murdering Iniubong Umoren.
Mr Udom stated this at the State High Court Complex in Uyo while addressing reporters after the court delivered judgment on the matter.
The convicted rapist and murderer, Mr Akpan, attempted to escape but was overpowered by armed prison officials who had manned everywhere within the complex.
There was heavy security presence in Wellington Bassey Way - the road leading to the court.
The Government House axis of the road was cordoned off by armed policemen.
The escape attempt caused panic in the court but the trial judge, Bassey Nkanang, quickly restored order.
In a video clip posted on Facebook, some prison officials could be heard yelling "don't fire" at colleagues who apparently were ready to gun down the convict.
Mr Akpan was also found guilty of rape and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The judge, Mr Nkanang, said the prosecution had proved beyond doubt the case of murder and rape against Mr Akpan.
He, however, discharged and acquitted the father and sister of Mr Akpan, who as 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively, were charged for accessory after the fact to murder.
The State Attorney General, who led the prosecution team, commended the security officials for stopping Mr Akpan from escaping.
"I don't think it is something to be surprised about," he told reporters.
"This young man committed very gruesome offences and if you follow the facts of the case you would not put it past him to do something drastic and something as bad as he attempted to do here and I think the security officials were very attentive that is why they were able to overcome him and put him up."
Ms Umoren, a fresh Philosophy graduate of University of Uyo, wanted a job but ended up losing her life, after honouring an invitation for a fake job interview from Mr Akpan.
The 10-month trial which began on October 4, 2021 ended 4 August with the trial judge pronouncing that Mr Akpan will die by hanging.
Mr Udom commended the court for the speedy trial and added the judgment shows that the justice system works.
'Violent crimes indictment on parents'
Responding to a question on rampant violent crimes by young people, Mr Udom said the parents should be blamed for it.
"I think it boils down to the state of morality of our young people and we must start from the parents. I don't think we should start from these young people, we start from parents. You find out today that the parents don't bring up the kids the way it was done in my time, for instance.
"To have a child like Mr Akpan in the house without knowing what he's capable of doing I think it's an indictment on the parents. We need to have the parents to be more attentive in the upbringing of the children and create moral boundaries that you make sure your children don't go beyond.
"See how unrepentant this convict has been all through the trial. He said the country is full of kidnappers who are not arrested so it's like he has set a moral standard for himself which supports the kind things that he's involved in."
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On his part, Sampson Adulla, counsel to Mr Akpan, said unemployment is a major cause of violent crimes among young people.
He called on authorities to engage the youth in meaningful ventures as a way of curbing the menace.
"The deceased in this case is a 24-year-old graduate and Mr Akpan is a 20-year-old undergraduate. When you review the whole case it goes to show the extent of unemployment in our society.
"Today, we've gotten justice for the deceased, are we concerned about those that are still alive, are we concerned about those that are looking for jobs, including some of the family members of the deceased.
"There's need for all those that are concerned, not only the government alone, to ensure that our youths are properly engaged in order to forestall this kind of situation," Mr Adulla said.
