THURSDAY April 10, 2025 |
By thenewsdesk.ng
Abasiofiok INYANG
A 58 year old former lawmaker and councilor who represented Midim Ward in Abak Local Government Area, Hon. Saviour Hanson Akpan has been sentenced to one year imprison for giving police false information of theft and murder of a three day old baby.
Hon. Akpan who bagged the one year jail term in a judgement delivered on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 by Chief Magistrate Sam Ukoima Esq of Magistrate Court 11, Uyo.
The said former councilor who at one time aspired to represent Abak State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, was standing trial before the court as a result of a petition he sent to the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, through the Deputy Commissioner of Police, alleging that the village head of Nto Otong, Midim Clan, Abak Local Government Area, Akuku Patrick Okon Akerete, the village council members including Friday Okon Mboho, Chief Okon Akpan Udousoro, Rachel Linus Isong, and Boniface Etim Offiong had “sometimes in 2012 the said persons stole and murdered a three (3) day old baby at Nto Otong village”.
Following the petition, the village head, Akuku Patrick Okon Akerete and four others were arrested by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, and detained at Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia.
However, the information, according to charge number MU/778c/ 2020, and court records as presented during the trial, was said to be false, an offence punishable under Section 127 (1) (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Volume 2, Laws of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, 2000. The guilty of the offence is one year imprisonment.
It was gathered that the background of the case was that a three (3) day old baby was in 2012, dumped in an uncompleted building in the village and was discovered by one Mrs Affiong Atai who raised an alarm and drew the attention of the village head who then invited the police from Abak Divisional Headquarters, Ndot.
The police took the child and in company of Mrs Affiong Atai, took the child to Akwa Ibom State Government Welfare office which the child was taken into custody.
However, eight years after, when the said Hon. Saviour Hanson Akpan had an issue with members of the village council, he petitioned the State Police Command, alleging that the village head and his cabinet members “stole the baby murdered him and pound on a mortar for ritual purposes”.
Based on the petition, the police swooped in and arrested all the five suspects including the village head and detained them for several days at the police headquarters.
Upon their release on bail, the village head petitioned the Commissioner of Police to investigate the allegation and charge the case to court. According to court records presented during the judgment, it was discovered that the petition was false and the petitioner could not proof the allegation but “relied on what someone told him”.
In a one hour, twenty five minutes judgement, the court found the petitioner, Hon. Saviour Hanson Akpan guilty of raising false information to mislead the police to arrest the village head and others.
In his judgment, Chief Magistrate Sam Ukoima who admonished citizens to always give police useful information to curb crime, however, condemned giving police false information.
Upon pleading for leniency by counsel to Hon. Saviour Hanson Akpan, Chief Magistrate Ukoima reduced the sentence to 6 months in prison without an option of fine and the former councilor has began serving his jail term at Uyo Correctional Center.
Reacting to the judgment, Akuku Patrick Okon Akerete described it as “excellentisma” as he has been vindicated of false allegation.
He commended the magistrate for diligence and meticulous in handling the case to a conclusion.
