Life Sentence for Attempted Murder in Akwa Ibom

A 36-year-old hairdresser and divorcee identified as Uwakmfon Jonah has been sentenced to life in prison for attempting to murder a 12-year-old girl who was selling peppers in the market. Jonah, who resides in Ikot Obong in Afaha Clan, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, was found guilty of attempted murder contrary to Section 276 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38 Vol. 2, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2022.

According to eyewitnesses, the victim had accompanied her mother to the market and was hawking fresh peppers when Jonah approached her under the pretext of purchasing the commodity. The victim recounted how Jonah deceived her into following her into the bush, where she was attacked.

'I followed the lady because she put on a nice dress. Reaching the road to the bush, I told her that the road is too far that I can’t continue the movement again. At that juncture, the lady held me and I ran from the bush. The lady ran after me and I fell inside the bush and the lady held my cloth and tied it around my mouth, so that is where I could not shout for help,' the victim said.

The victim further stated that Jonah cut her left eye and inflicted a deep cut on her right side of the neck before fleeing the scene. Despite her efforts to survive, the victim said she was left for dead in the bush.

Jonah was arraigned on August 12, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to the charge of attempted murder. However, the prosecution presented several witnesses, including a medical doctor, who testified that the victim had sustained severe injuries consistent with an attempted murder.

The presiding judge, Justice Winifred Effiong, found Jonah guilty of the charge and sentenced her to life imprisonment. In her ruling, Justice Effiong stated that Jonah had failed to provide any credible explanation for her actions and that the prosecution had established a clear case of attempted murder.

‘The defendant lured a vulnerable child away from the safety of a public market and into a secluded bush. The child sustained a deep cut to the neck and injuries to the eye. A person who deliberately inflicts a deep cut on the neck of a helpless child must be presumed to intend the natural and probable consequences of such an act,' Justice Effiong said.

Key Facts:*

  • Age of Victim: 12 years old
  • Location of Incident: Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State
  • Date of Incident: Unknown
  • Date of Arraignment: August 12, 2024
  • Date of Sentencing: June 26, 2026