Justice Ekpo Ntekim of Akwa Ibom State High Court has committed thirty-three year old Ndifreke Isaiah Nelson to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Emma Monday Affanga. The convict was also accused of converting his late girlfriend’s mobile handsets to personal use after he murdered her.
The judgment was delivered on Friday after Nelson was found guilty on a two-count charge bordering on murder and stealing.
According to court proceedings, the incident occurred on February 6, 2025, coinciding with the convict’s birthday. Nelson, who lived along Udo Udoma Avenue in Uyo, had visited the deceased at her residence located at No. 102 Aka Road, opposite NEPA Line, Uyo, at about 7 a.m. The prosecution told the court that Nelson had gone to use Effanga’s phone to upload his birthday photographs on social media. However, an argument reportedly broke out between the couple over the phone, leading to a violent struggle.
During the altercation, Nelson allegedly slammed the victim’s head against a wall and strangled her to death before fleeing with her mobile phone. Investigators later tracked the suspect to a church on Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo, during a night vigil programme at about 2 a.m. on February 8, 2025. Under interrogation, Nelson reportedly confessed to committing the crime.
In his judgment, Justice Ntekim held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and consequently sentenced the defendant to death by hanging or lethal injection for the offence of murder. The court further ruled that the punishment for stealing was subsumed under the murder sentence. Nelson was defended pro bono by a Lagos-based lawyer during the trial