A State High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced Emmanuel Umoh, the Resident Pastor of Living Faith Church Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon Branch, to death by hanging for the murder of Gabriel Bassey, a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo.
Justice Gabriel Ette delivered the judgment after finding Umoh guilty of fatally stabbing Bassey on December 21, 2020, at Ifa Ikot Ubo in Uyo Local Government Area. In a ruling that lasted more than two hours, the court held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt, describing the crime as both tragic and deeply disturbing.
Gabriel Bassey was not only a final-year student but also the landlord of the property where the church branch operated. The premises had originally been developed by his late mother, who established a nursery school there before her death in December 2019. Following her passing, Bassey relocated to the property to safeguard the family estate and to stay closer to his university.
Court proceedings revealed that the compound comprised a two-bedroom flat attached to a large hall. The hall, initially constructed for school activities, was later rented out to Living Faith Church at an annual rate of N150,000. The rental arrangement was reportedly made with the consent of Bassey’s father, Emana Bassey, a retired school principal. Evidence before the court indicated that the church commenced operations in the hall before completing full payment of the agreed rent.
Emmanuel Umoh was subsequently posted to the branch as its pioneer resident pastor.
According to testimony presented during the trial, tensions between the deceased and the pastor began to surface shortly after the church started using the premises. Emana Bassey told the court that Umoh had requested permission to store church chairs and other materials inside his son’s flat, citing the absence of doors and windows in the hall.
The request was granted, but the arrangement soon proved problematic. Whenever the pastor needed access to the stored items, Gabriel—who was often away for academic activities—had to return home to open the flat. The repeated trips reportedly caused inconvenience and additional transport expenses, which were not reimbursed.
In response to complaints, the father directed his son to provide Umoh with a spare key to facilitate easier access.
However, after the spare key was handed over, personal belongings belonging to Gabriel’s late mother—including clothing and household items—began to disappear. The pastor, who had unrestricted access to the flat, became a suspect. When confronted, Umoh allegedly claimed that the key had been lost.
The matter was escalated to the church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Akpan, who later testified for the defence. Akpan reportedly provided N5,000 to enable the deceased to change the locks on the apartment. Evidence accepted by the court indicated that no further items went missing after the locks were replaced.
Beyond the issue of missing belongings, the relationship between the two men reportedly deteriorated over disagreements concerning rent payments and funds meant for property repairs.
The fatal events of December 21, 2020, were reconstructed in court through witness testimonies and circumstantial evidence. Witnesses told the court that Umoh was seen entering the deceased’s compound that day. Neighbours testified that they later heard screams of “Jesus” emanating from within the premises.
Shortly afterward, Umoh was seen leaving the compound wearing a white garment stained with blood. When questioned, he reportedly claimed that he had fallen while attempting to hang a banner, accounting for the bloodstains.
Five days later, on December 26, 2020, Gabriel Bassey’s decomposing body was discovered in his room. The corpse was wrapped in a mat and bore multiple lacerations. A butcher’s knife was found beside the body.
Investigators concluded that Umoh was the last person seen with the deceased and could not provide a credible explanation for the blood found on his clothing. He was subsequently arrested and charged with one count of murder.
Umoh was arraigned before the High Court on December 6, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
During the trial, the prosecution presented six witnesses, including the deceased’s father. The state relied heavily on circumstantial evidence, arguing that the chain of events pointed unmistakably to the defendant’s guilt. The court was told that the bloodstained garment, the timeline of events, and the discovery of the body all supported the prosecution’s case.
In delivering his judgment, Justice Ette carefully reviewed the evidence and addressed the broader moral implications of the crime. He reflected on the late mother’s efforts to develop the property for educational purposes and expressed dismay at the circumstances surrounding her son’s death.
“Life is sacred and those who represent God on earth should teach that,” the judge stated. “It is an irony and quite appalling when a man who claims to be the representative of the divine on earth stoops so low as to denigrate the very essence of his calling and take someone’s life on the premises of the church.”
Justice Ette emphasized that individuals entrusted with spiritual leadership bear a heightened responsibility to uphold moral and ethical standards. He warned that betrayal of such trust poses a grave threat to society and must be met with appropriate legal consequences.
The court concluded that the prosecution had successfully proven all the essential elements of the offence of murder beyond reasonable doubt. The evidence, though largely circumstantial, was deemed cogent, consistent, and compelling.
“Having found you guilty as charged, I hereby sentence you to death by hanging,” Justice Ette pronounced.
The ruling brings to a close a trial that spanned several years and attracted public attention due to the involvement of a religious leader and the shocking nature of the crime.
While the verdict provides a measure of legal closure for the family of the deceased, it also raises broader questions about accountability within religious institutions and the sanctity of trust between spiritual leaders and their congregations.
As Emmanuel Umoh faces the ultimate penalty under Nigerian law, the case stands as a sobering reminder of the consequences of violence and the enduring principle that no individual—regardless of status or calling—is above the law.
