By Okon Bassey
The prime suspect in the murder of Miss Iniubong Umoren, a 26-year-old graduate of Philosophy of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Uduak Frank Akpan, has finally explained how he murdered her..
Akpan had recently lured, raped and eventually killed Umoren who was invited for a phony job interview in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state.
The 20 year old suspect, who was paraded along with his father, Friday said he was ready to take the same punishment, if found guilty after trial and conviction.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amiengheme Andrew, paraded the suspects at the State Police headquarters, Ikot Akpanabia, near Uyo, the state capital on Friday.
The Police Commissioner explained he decided to parade the prime suspect following rumours that, the suspect had committed suicide while in police custody to shield other accomplices.
Based on the number of calls received, the Commissioner said he was “under pressure from within and outside Nigeria to reveal the truth behind the rumour”.
” I have been inundated with several calls all over the world that the prime suspect in the murder of Miss Iniubong Umoren has committed suicide in Police custody.” the Commissioner said, wondering why a suspect could kill himself, using his trousers as suicide rope in Police cell where wearing of trousers is not permitted.
He said in the investigation so far carried out there was no mass grave discovered in the compound where the crime took place as speculated.
He promised that diligent prosecution would be followed as the case would be transfered from the homicide section to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) when all angles in the matter have been fully explored.
Speaking to newsmen, the suspect, a 200 level Public Administration student of Obong University, a private institution in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, admitted to killing the suspect in self defence, after she accepted his proposal for a consensual sex but turned around later to “attack me with a stabilizer when I tried to bring condom”.
He said: “When I met her, I asked her whether she would like to work in a hard drug farm and she agreed.
“When we got to the house, I asked her for sex and she agreed and insisted I use condom.
“It was when I tried to remove the condom that she picked up the stabilizer and hit me and blood was coming out of my head. At that point, I grabbed the stabilizer and also hit her, trying to make her submit peacefully.
“It was not my intention to kill her, but if at the end of everything I am found guilty, I am ready to also die”, he said.
On allegation of other shallow graves, clothes, books and NYSC shoes discovered in the compound, the suspects denied that they belong to those he had killed earlier.
“The NYSC shoes belong to my mother and we used it for farm work. The books belong to me and my sister”, he said, adding that the late Iniubong was the only lady that died among the six he had lured and slept with, using the same phony job offers as bait.
He said he killed the late Iniubong in anger, after several rough experiences he had in the hands of those he described as “runs-girls and prostitutes”.
Meanwhile, the remains of the late Iniubong were interred on Friday in her village in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, amid tears and tributes from school mates, family members and sympathizers.
