Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo, on Friday, sentenced an 82-year-old Village Head Chief Essien Matthew Odiong to death by hanging for murder.
Chief Essien Matthew Odiong is the village head of Efen Ibom, Ika Local Government Area of the State.
The convict, who is married to 12 wives with 60 children, was standing trial on a four count charge of conspiracy, directing unlawful trial by ordeal, stealing of the motorcycle and murder of the owner, a member of his community, Udoma Akpan Udo Ubom.
In a judgment, the Court presided over by Justice Edem Akpan, found the accused guilty of murder of Udoma Akpan Udo Ubom by injecting some chemical substance on him, leading to his death on 26th April, 2017.
The late Ubom was accused by his brothers of being a wizard and was reported to the Village Head, who brought him before the Efen Clan Council, where the deceased was given an oath to swear that he was not a wizard.
