A High Court of Cross River State sitting in Calabar has sentenced a 33-year-old armed robber, Okon Ekpo Effiong, to death for offences bordering on armed robbery, aggravated assault and gang rape.
Justice Blessing Egwu delivered the judgment on Monday, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Effiong was convicted for his role in a brutal attack carried out alongside four other accomplices, during which a woman and two teenage girls were sexually assaulted after an armed robbery operation.
The incident occurred on April 27, 2024, along Mount Zion Street in Calabar South Local Government Area, where the suspects reportedly robbed their victims of valuables before sexually assaulting them.
Justice Egwu ruled that the severity of the crimes and the aggravated circumstances surrounding the offences justified the imposition of the death penalty.
Effiong and one of his accomplices were arrested shortly after the attack. However, the accomplice reportedly died in custody, while three other suspects remain at large.
Reacting to the judgment, the Director of Public Prosecution in Cross River State, Okoi Ukam, described the verdict as a welcome development that would serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.
Deterrence has always been our key message in handling cases like this. If such matters were treated with kid gloves in the past, that has changed under this administration, Ukam said.
He credited the successful prosecution to teamwork and the leadership of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ededem Ani, whom he said resisted pressure to withdraw the case despite petitions.
Ukam also commended the Cross River State Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police Rashid Afegbua, particularly the gender unit, for conducting thorough investigations that strengthened the case.
Speaking on the sentence, Principal Counsel of the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, James Ibor, explained that the court acted in line with sentencing guidelines, noting that the crimes went beyond armed robbery to include severe sexual violence against vulnerable victims.
According to him, the law already prescribes the death penalty for armed robbery, and the additional acts of sexual assault significantly worsened the gravity of the offence.
Effiong, during allocution, expressed regret over his actions and described the sentence as excessive. However, the law allows him the right to appeal up to the Supreme Court.
His counsel, Bassey Otop, who represented him through the Centre for Citizens’ Rights and the Office of the Public Defender, confirmed that an appeal would be filed.
One of the victims, whose identity was withheld, said the judgment brought some relief, though the trauma of the incident remains.
I am happy knowing he is put away for good. I thank everyone who ensured justice was done. I only hope the remaining suspects are arrested, she said.
A High Court of Cross River State sitting in Calabar has sentenced a 33-year-old armed robber, Okon Ekpo Effiong, to death for offences bordering on armed robbery, aggravated assault and gang rape.
Justice Blessing Egwu delivered the judgment on Monday, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Effiong was convicted for his role in a brutal attack carried out alongside four other accomplices, during which a woman and two teenage girls were sexually assaulted after an armed robbery operation.
The incident occurred on April 27, 2024, along Mount Zion Street in Calabar South Local Government Area, where the suspects reportedly robbed their victims of valuables before sexually assaulting them.
Justice Egwu ruled that the severity of the crimes and the aggravated circumstances surrounding the offences justified the imposition of the death penalty.
Effiong and one of his accomplices were arrested shortly after the attack. However, the accomplice reportedly died in custody, while three other suspects remain at large.
Reacting to the judgment, the Director of Public Prosecution in Cross River State, Okoi Ukam, described the verdict as a welcome development that would serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.
“Deterrence has always been our key message in handling cases like this. If such matters were treated with kid gloves in the past, that has changed under this administration, Ukam said.
He credited the successful prosecution to teamwork and the leadership of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ededem Ani, whom he said resisted pressure to withdraw the case despite petitions.
Ukam also commended the Cross River State Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police Rashid Afegbua, particularly the gender unit, for conducting thorough investigations that strengthened the case.
Speaking on the sentence, Principal Counsel of the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, James Ibor, explained that the court acted in line with sentencing guidelines, noting that the crimes went beyond armed robbery to include severe sexual violence against vulnerable victims.
According to him, the law already prescribes the death penalty for armed robbery, and the additional acts of sexual assault significantly worsened the gravity of the offence.
Effiong, during allocution, expressed regret over his actions and described the sentence as excessive. However, the law allows him the right to appeal up to the Supreme Court.
His counsel, Bassey Otop, who represented him through the Centre for Citizens’ Rights and the Office of the Public Defender, confirmed that an appeal would be filed.
One of the victims, whose identity was withheld, said the judgment brought some relief, though the trauma of the incident remains.
I am happy knowing he is put away for good. I thank everyone who ensured justice was done. I only hope the remaining suspects are arrested,” she said.
