An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced a 29-year-old pastor of Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel, to death by hanging for the brutal murder of his landlord.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Gabriel Ette found Prince Emmanuel Umoh guilty of killing Gabriel Bassey Edward, a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo.
The court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, describing the crime as a grave betrayal of trust, particularly within a religious setting.
Edward, who was later confirmed to have graduated with First Class honours, had moved into his late mother’s property at Ifa Ikot Ubo to safeguard the estate and remain close to school. His mother, before her death in December 2019, had established a nursery school within the compound.
Part of the property—a large hall initially built for school activities—was rented out to the church for worship at an annual fee of ₦150,000, with the approval of the deceased’s father, Emana Bassey Edward, a retired school principal. The church reportedly began using the facility even before completing payment.
Umoh was subsequently posted to the branch as its first resident pastor.
Court records revealed that on December 21, 2020, the pastor was seen entering the compound. Witnesses later reported hearing loud cries of “Jesus” from within the premises. Shortly afterwards, Umoh was seen emerging in a white garment stained with blood, claiming he had fallen while attempting to hang a banner.
That was the last day Edward was seen alive.
His decomposing body was discovered on December 26, 2020, a day after Christmas, inside his room. The corpse, wrapped in a mat, bore multiple deep cuts, while a butcher’s knife was recovered at the scene.
Investigators arrested the pastor, who was the last person seen with the deceased and could not provide a satisfactory explanation for the blood stains on his clothing.
He was arraigned on December 6, 2021, on a one-count charge of murder, to which he pleaded not guilty.
During trial, the prosecution called six witnesses, including the deceased’s father, who detailed earlier disputes between his son and the pastor. He told the court that the pastor had requested to store church items in Edward’s flat due to a lack of secure storage in the hall—a request that was granted.
However, the arrangement soon led to friction, as Edward was repeatedly required to travel home to grant access to the pastor, often at personal expense. Following complaints, a spare key was handed over to the pastor.
Thereafter, personal belongings of the deceased’s late mother reportedly began to go missing, raising suspicions. When confronted, the pastor claimed the key had been lost. The matter was escalated to the church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Etuk Akpan, who later testified for the defence and provided ₦5,000 for the replacement of the locks. No further theft was reported after the locks were changed.
The court also heard that tensions later escalated over rent payments allegedly meant for repairs of the facility.
In a judgment lasting over two hours, Justice Ette described the case as painful, noting the effort the deceased’s late mother invested in building the property for educational purposes.
He emphasised that human life is sacred and that individuals who abuse public trust, especially in religious environments, must face the full weight of the law.
The court subsequently sentenced Umoh to death by hanging.
