Akwa Ibom: Ibiono Ibom Councillor risks jail ...for assault, attempts to kill woman

Akwa Ibom: Ibiono Ibom Councillor risks jail ...for assault, attempts to kill woman

A Councillor in Ibiono Ibom Legislative Council Uduak Godwin Nseobot, alias King Pele who represents Southern II, Ward 6 in Ibiono Ibom LGA may soon taste the walls of solitude if he does not engage in drastic measures that will scale him out to safety.

The Councillor is accused by a middle aged woman Iniubong Essien of abusing, assaulting and attempting to kill her after falsely accusing her of stealing the money sprayed on the Councillor and his wife during their wedding recently.

Narrating her ordeal, she said, King Pele and the wife paraded her to the community square where she was accused of stealing some of the money sprayed on them during their marriage which took place that weekend.

There, the villagers, allegedly at the prompting of the Council lawmaker, stripped her naked, tied a rope around her waist, battered her with sticks and stones and paraded her round the village.

The Akwa Ibom State Branch of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA has however stepped into the matter with a  petition sent to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and the police to use their good offices to ensure the case was not swept under the carpet. 

‘’We wish to state that the action of the suspect, Hon. Uduak Godwin Nseobot, and that of his newly wedded wife, Ms. Aniedi Matthew, in taking laws into their hands by abducting, stripping naked, tying a rope around the waist and grievously battering the complainant in the full glare of over 30 persons in their village in Ibiono Ibom local government area is barbaric, bizarre and a violent contravention of the right of the complainant to human dignity and self-worth”, they said.

‘’These acts are those the law, the police and indeed our law enforcement agencies are against and it is unfortunate and disheartening that one, as exposed as a sitting Councillor in the Ibiono Ibom local government area, who should know better, would lend himself to such acts. 

FIDA described the acts as condemnable and an attempt by “a power drunk person”  use his position, powers and connections to oppress a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Legal actions have been instituted by the victim and the Police. The case which was heard last weekend at Chief Magistrate Court two almost ran into a stalemate when the Police Prosecutor Japhet O. Japhet announced to the Court that the Ibiono Ibom Councillor was arrested and granted administrative bail by the Police Station.

Counsel to the accused Inibehe Effiong had pleaded the court to issue a bench warrant on the accused owing to the magnitude of crime that was.

But counsel to the accused person, Mfon Ben pleaded that his client the embattled Councillor cannot make it to court due to certain exigencies.

He declined comment on whether his Client was going to appear in Court on the next adjourned date and informed the court also that there are moves to settle the matter in an out of court arrangement.

Giving his position on the matter the trial magistrate Martins Johnny said since the accused person was yet to be arraigned in Court, that he cannot issue an order or an arrest warrant.

He however encouraged the Police Prosecutor to bring the accused person to court as the court have only seen a charge but not the person so accused.

The matter was accordingly adjourned to Tuesday 14th May for continuation of hearing.