A tricycle ticket seller, Iboro Sunday Akpan, has been sentenced to death by hanging for armed robbery and life imprisonment for attempted murder. The Akwa Ibom State High Court, sitting in Ikot Ekpene, delivered the verdict after finding that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant was convicted on all three counts.
Court Ruling and Sentences
In his judgment, Justice Augustine D. Odokwo sentenced Akpan to 14 years imprisonment for conspiracy, life imprisonment for attempted murder, and death by hanging for armed robbery. The custodial sentences are subsumed by the capital punishment.
Details of the Case
According to Charge No. HT/25C/2025, Akpan, an indigene of Ikot Idaha in Ikono Local Government Area, was prosecuted by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice. The charges stemmed from an armed robbery attack that occurred in the early hours of July 23, 2025, at Annex B Estate, Ikot Otor in Ikot Ekpene.
During the trial, the prosecution's principal witness, Barr. Camillus Ben, testified that he was awakened at about 1:23 a.m. by a loud bang at the estate gate. He confronted an unmasked intruder whom he identified as Akpan, a ticket seller he had known for years on Umuahia Road in Ikot Ekpene. The witness recognized the convict from a distance of about four feet before fleeing the scene.
Akpan later sustained gunshot injuries to his ribs and hand when armed robbers opened fire as police officers responded to a distress call.
Evidence Presented
The prosecution also presented evidence from a police officer attached to the Divisional Crack Team, who testified that officers recovered firearms and expended cartridges at the scene after an exchange of gunfire with the robbers. It was learned that one suspect was killed during the operation, while another escaped with gunshot wounds but was later tracked to Imo State.
The victim's wife, who was over eight months pregnant at the time of the attack, told the court that armed robbers invaded their residence, stole cash and jewelry valued at N630,000, and attempted to force her to transfer money through a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine.
Defense and Judgment
In his defense, Akpan denied involvement in the robbery, stating that he was a farmer and ticket seller and was not at the scene of the crime. However, Justice Odokwo rejected the defense, holding that the evidence amounted to a case of recognition rather than mistaken identity, adding that the victim had known the defendant prior to the incident. The judge also dismissed the defendant's alibi, holding that it lacked specific details capable of verification and was contradicted by evidence from the defense witness.
“The prosecution has built a watertight and unshakeable case against the defendant,” the court held. Justice Odokwo also held that under the doctrine of common intention, Akpan was criminally liable for the shooting of the victim during the robbery, notwithstanding evidence that another gang member fired the shot.
Judge's Remarks
In his obiter dictum, the judge described the attack as a violent criminal operation that nearly claimed the life of the victim and stressed that the punishment prescribed for armed robbery under the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act was mandatory. “The sentence of this Court is that you, Iboro Sunday Akpan, shall be hanged by the neck until you be dead. And may the Almighty God have mercy upon your soul,” Justice Odokwo declared.
The court ordered that the firearms and ammunition tendered as exhibits be returned to the Akwa Ibom State Police Command for official destruction, while all exhibits are to remain in court custody pending any appeal.
