A tricycle ticket seller named Iboro Sunday Akpan has received a death sentence by hanging following a conviction for armed robbery. The judgment was delivered at the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Ikot Ekpene, presided over by Justice Augustine D. Odokwo.
Alongside the death penalty, the court issued a life imprisonment sentence for attempted murder and a 14-year term for conspiracy. The court ruled that the capital sentence would supersede the custodial terms. The prosecution successfully proved that on July 23, 2025, Akpan participated in a violent home invasion at Annex B Estate in Ikot Otor.
The principal witness, Barrister Camillus Ben, positively identified Akpan as the intruder. Ben stated he recognized the defendant from a close distance before escaping. During the incident, the victim was shot in the ribs and hand when the robbers engaged with arriving police units. The victim’s spouse, who was heavily pregnant at the time, testified that the attackers stole jewelry and cash worth N630,000 and unsuccessfully attempted to force a mobile money transfer.
Justice Odokwo dismissed the defendant’s alibi, noting that the evidence against him was consistent and reliable. The court rejected Akpan’s claims of innocence, emphasizing that the victim had known him previously as a local ticket seller. Under the doctrine of common intention, the judge held Akpan legally responsible for the injuries caused during the robbery, regardless of which accomplice fired the weapon.
