Iniobong Umoren’s Murder: We’re Still Looking For Hangmen -A’Ibom Commissioner
2 min read
More than three months after an Uyo high court convicted and ordered that Mr Uduak Frank be killed by hanging over the murder of the job seeking daughter of Akwa Ibom State, Iniobong Umoren, the state governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel is yet to sign the execution order.
This is largely because there is still no hangman in the state. in August when the court convicted Frank, the state commissioner for information, Ini Ememobong had told TNN that hangmen were not available in the state and expressed doubts that the killer may be executed.
During the weekend, TNN revisited the issue and spoke with the commissioner again. His position was that even after the government advertised for hangmen, nobody had come up to be employed.
He also said executions generally were no longer fashionable. “We advertised for hangmen, no one applied. If you check lately, executions generally is becoming a less fashionable way of punishment. People are looking beyond that. People are looking at life imprisonment, solitary confinement and all that.
“The order is for execution. Orders are not made in vacuum. There is what is called frustration in law. When a judgement is made and the judgement on its own cannot be executed, for example, do you have hangmen? I can’t remember in the last 16 years, when hangmen executed someone.”
Harsh Economy: Let’s Not Despair, Lutheran Church Cleric Tells Nigerians
He said there was nothing the government could do under the circumstance. Frank was sentenced to die by hanging, in August last year. Even Uduak’s father who was also arraigned, tried but set free by the court, was very excited that the boy had been sentenced for the crime.
