The first accused person in the murder of Iniubong Umoren, a graduate of Philosophy from the University of Uyo, has told an Akwa Ibom State High Court that he was tortured to sign a statement given to him at the Department of State Services (DSS).
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday presided over by Justice Bassey Nkanang, the first accused, Uduak Akpan, who is facing a two-count charge of rape and murder, said he signed the statement to avoid more the torture he was subjected to by DSS officers.
Counsel to the accused, Sampson Adula, had, in the previous hearing objected to the statement’s admissibility on grounds that it was not made willingly.
In his testimony during cross-examination at the mini-trial, Uduak Akpan said he was the person speaking in the video CD played in the court but maintained that the DSS officers had given him the questions and answers to rehearse before the video recording.
“They said I should practice those questions and answers and they also said when they start recording that I should give them the answers according to what I practised,” Uduak said.
However, when cross-examined in the trial-within-trial, the DSS investigator, Ama Okeke (PW10) debunked the allegation the first accused said concerning the statement tendered.
The prosecution witness testified that the DSS has a standard interrogation room with electronic gadgets including cameras, pens, tables, chairs, among other items where suspects could relax to write or make their statement voluntarily.
“And when the first accused person was in this room, he was asked if he knows why he was in the DSS? My Lord, he had voluntarily told my team that it is because he killed Iniubong Ephraim Umoren,” Okeke testified.
The witness further testified that it was not also correct that the video recording of the first accused which was played in the court was as a result of questions and answers presented by the DSS as alleged by the first accused person
He explained that his team only asked the first accused to narrate the processes that led to the death of Iniubong Umoren.
The court admitted the video Compact Disc (Video CD) that was played in court in evidence, marked as exhibit two in trial-within-trial, adjourning the case till February 24, for ruling on the trial-within trial and also for the conclusion of the evidence of PW10.
