By Nkereuwem James – South-South Nigeria Bureau Chief
On January 19, 2022, Godwin Ikoiwak, a brilliant and fast-rising prosecuting counsel with the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice, set out on what would become the final journey of his life. He had been summoned to Ikono by his in-laws for a family meeting. He never returned.
Ikoiwak, known for his legal acumen and integrity, was married to Abasieseabanga, a fellow legal practitioner and staff of the Court of Appeal in Calabar. The couple, married since 2017, had two children. However, trouble brewed when Godwin began suspecting infidelity on his wife’s part and took it upon himself to investigate.
The findings were nothing short of disturbing.
He reportedly discovered that his wife was involved in an affair with a former employer. More shockingly, he uncovered allegations that as a teenager, she had lived with a Catholic priest—Reverend Father Maurice Mbeke—who allegedly impregnated her at the time. She gave birth to a son, who was later introduced to Godwin as her younger brother. That child moved into their marital home and was raised by Godwin, completely unaware of the true circumstances of the boy’s birth.
Moreover, there were claims that each time his wife became pregnant, Godwin never saw her during the pregnancy. She would reappear after childbirth, presenting a baby as his child. These revelations spurred Godwin to confront his wife and demand DNA tests. He also reported his findings to her family—ironically, the same in-laws who had deceived him about the existence of the first child.
Summoned for a “peace meeting” by his in-laws in Ikono, Godwin honored the invitation after attending court at the Federal High Court, Uyo, on January 19. He was never seen alive again.
His wife later informed his family that he had died from asthma complications after allegedly driving himself to the hospital. A death certificate was produced. He was buried in February 2022.
But his family wasn’t convinced. Their suspicions triggered an investigation involving law enforcement and the Department of State Services (DSS). The body was exhumed, and the truth emerged.
Autopsy results debunked the asthma claim. Godwin had been poisoned—killed with a substance locally known as Otapiapia. His corpse bore bruises, a deep cut beneath the left eye, and ligature marks on the wrists and ankles, indicating he was tied up and beaten. He was likely forced to ingest poison and left to die in agony.
While the horror unfolded in Ikono, phone records revealed that his wife was in Calabar, frequently in contact with her mother, brother, and sister—all of whom were reportedly present during the murder.
After confirming Godwin’s death, his wife placed a call to Father Maurice Mbeke. Investigators later found records of multiple phone conversations between them that day. Father Mbeke then contacted Reverend Father Gabriel Ekong, Administrator of St. Luke’s Hospital, who instructed Dr. Imoh Johnson to issue a falsified death certificate citing asthma complications. Godwin’s corpse was then taken to the hospital to support the ruse before his family was notified.
Last month, a verdict was delivered in what has become one of the most troubling legal outcomes in recent memory.
The sentences handed down were as follows:
Wife – Accessory to Murder: 2 years imprisonment
Mother-in-law – Murder: 10 years imprisonment
Sister-in-law – Murder: 10 years imprisonment
Dr. Imoh Johnson – Falsifying Records: 2 years imprisonment
Reverend Father Gabriel Ekong – Accessory to Crime via Falsified Documents: 4 years imprisonment
The presiding judge cited mitigating factors including the defendants being first-time offenders, the mother-in-law’s age, and the sister-in-law’s young child.
Conspicuously absent from the list of defendants was Father Maurice Mbeke, whose alleged involvement—both in past misconduct and the events leading to the cover-up—was left legally untouched.
The leniency of the sentences has provoked public outcry. Legal experts and rights advocates have questioned how such a heinous and premeditated act of murder could result in such light penalties. Fortunately, the State has expressed its intention to appeal the judgment, offering a glimmer of hope that justice may yet be served in full.
For now, the haunting death of Godwin Ikoiwak stands as a tragic reminder of how betrayal, cover-ups, and systemic failures can conspire to deny justice—even to one who dedicated his life to upholding it.
