Frank Akpan, the father of Uduak Frank who is standing trial for the murder and rape of Akwa Ibom job seeker, Iniubong Umoren, today told the court that Uduak is schizophrenic and an outpatient of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital.
Recall that last week, Uduak denied raping and killing IniubongAkpan. He also claimed he was neither aware of late Umoren’s murder, nor that her body was exhumed in his compound in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
While giving evidence in his defence before the Uyo High Court presided by Justice Bassey Nkanang, Mr Frank Akpan, claimed that on the day the said incident occurred, he was in the house of his secondary school classmate at Uko Eshiet Street, Uyo and only returned home at about 7 pm, to be told by his son that, there was an undisclosed medical emergency for which he advised him to hold on till the next morning.
Mr Akpan said his son then came back and told him that he was travelling to Calabar before he heard a knock on the gate of his house by Policemen from Uruan Divisional Headquarters who later told him that they were in search of a missing lady.
He said he conducted the Police around his house and thereafter, was taken to the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Uyo, where he was detained, until his son was arrested and he was freed from Police custody.
Concerning the text message he allegedly sent to his daughter’s phone stating “He was using a flying boat, he should not be talking about dying, but escaping” the father admitted that he sent the text but that he was not referring it to his son’s escape.
Frank Akpan is standing trial for being an accessory to murder, while his son, Uduak is charged with murder and rape and his daughter, Bassey Anwan charged for harbouring her brother in her residence in Calabar in a bid to assist him to escape justice.
Justice Bassey Nkanang has adjourned the case to the 10th and 11th of May, 2022, for the continuation of defence by the third accused person (Mr Frank Akpan’s daughter).
