Drama As University of Uyo Professor Standing Electoral Fraud Trial Collapses in Court
- Professor Ignatius Uduk, who was the returning officer for the Essien Udim LGA of Akwa Ibom, fainted in court during the proceedings of his trial
- The University of Uyo professor has been on trial for electoral malpractices since 2019 but collapsed in court on Wednesday when the prosecuting counsel, Clement Onwuenweunor, was cross-examing his witness
- The academic was immediately taken away from the court premises by his wife and daughter before the judicial clinic arrived with a wheelchair, this made the court to adjourn the case till Thursday
Uyo, Akwa Ibom - Ignatius Uduk, a professor at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, who is currently on trial for electoral fraud in 2019, suddenly collapsed in court on Wednesday, October 19.
Uduk served as the returning officer for the Essien Udim local government area of the state in the 2019 election, The Nation reported.
Source: Facebook
The professor collapsed in the dock when his witness is being crossed examined by the prosecuting counsel, Clement Onwuenweunor.
He returned before Justice Bassey Nkenang of the state high court with his lawyer, Abasiodiong Ekpenyong, who opened his defense with a first witness, one Innocent Emile, identified as Uduk’s nephew.
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Details of professor that collapsed in court
The incident caused drama as the professor was rushed out. This forced the court to go on recess. He was moved to a yet-to-be-identified location by his wife and daughter.
The judiciary clinic was alerted for a stretcher by some lawyers, but the prof’s wife and daughter drove him away before they could return.
Don has been asked to have his sit on three occasions, but he declined. His lawyer, after the incident, also told the judge that he had asked the professor to sit before he fell.
The judge then adjourned the case till Thursday, October 20.
Lawyer for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Onwuenweunor, disclosed to journalists that the incident would have no effect on the case's outcome, while the defence counsel declined to speak to journalists.
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