Alleged electoral offence: More witnesses to testify against UNIUYO lecturer

Chidi Tony/ More witnesses would be presented before Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo,  to give evidence in the ongoing case of alleged electoral fraud involving Professor Ignatius Uduk of the University of Uyo, UNIUYO.

This followed the conclusion of cross examination of the first Prosecution Witness,  (PW1), the Head of Electoral Operations at INEC’s headquarters, Uyo, Mr Vincent Akpowene Oghene, yesterday.

Professor Uduk, a Professor of Physical and Health Education, UNIUYO, who was the Collation/Returning officer for Essien Udim state consituency elections in 2019, is  being  prosecuted for alleged electoral offence by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) 

During cross examination, Mr Oghene (PWI) told the court that he knew professor Uduk during the election, and attested that the signatures on the documents which were admitted as evidence by the Court last week belonged to the accused person.

He confirmed to the Court that Professor Uduk was the Collation/Returning officer for the Essien Udim state consituency elections which he the accused person admitted in two of documents which he had submitted to the INEC.

“There are two documents attesting to the accused person admitting to being INEC collation/Returning officer for Essien Udim state consituency elections.

“One is the handwritten report that Prof Uduk submitted to INEC and the second document is the form EC8, 1B, on first Paragraph of page one”, Oghene testified.

 Justice Bassey Nkanang adjourned the case until Thursday ,for continuation of hearing.

Speaking the Prosecution Lawyer, Mr. Clement Onwuenwunor, disclosed that INEC would bring additional Witnesses to testify in the matter.

His words: “We are bringing more Witnesses on Thursday. The first prosecution Witness (PWI) is our Star Witness. That is the witness that we rely on for the proof of this case because at the point when this election was conducted, he was the person in charge of electoral operations.

“He was the one that was coordinating throughout the state. So all our documents for this charge has been tendered through him. We call him our star Witness because his evidence cuts across the entire counts; Count 1,2, 3 of the charge. And we are satisfied with his evidence.

“We can afford to close the case at this stage, but we intend to call more witnesses on the next date just to show the world that we are interested in the justice of this case. We want the world to see how our electoral process was sabotaged”