A State High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced a 29-year-old resident pastor of Living Faith Church to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, 23-year-old university student Gabriel Edward, in a case that has raised sharp questions about oversight and responsibility within faith-based institutions.

Justice Gabriel Ette delivered the judgement on Thursday, finding Emmanuel Umoh guilty of stabbing Mr Edward to death on 21 December 2020 at Ifa Ikot Ubo in Uyo, after the prosecution established its case beyond a reasonable doubt, authorities said.

The victim, a final-year civil engineering student at the University of Uyo, had moved into his late mother’s property to secure the estate and remain close to campus, according to court records. The compound included a hall later leased to the church for worship, a decision approved by his father, a retired principal.

Evidence before the court showed that the resident pastor was granted access to the premises for security reasons, including a spare key. Tensions later arose over rent and repair funds, while reports of missing items from the property prompted a change of locks with support from the church’s senior leadership, the court heard.

On the day of the killing, witnesses told the court they saw the pastor enter the compound, after which neighbours reported hearing distress cries. The pastor later emerged with bloodstains on his clothing, offering an explanation investigators found unconvincing, officials said.

Mr Edward was not seen alive again. His decomposing body was discovered days later in his room, wrapped in a mat, with deep stab wounds and a knife nearby. Police arrested the pastor as the last person seen with the victim, and he was charged with murder in December 2021, pleading not guilty.

In a judgement lasting more than two hours, Justice Ette underscored the duty of institutions particularly religious bodies to uphold the sanctity of life and ensure accountability among those placed in positions of trust. The court described the crime as a grave betrayal committed within a space meant for worship.

Prosecutors welcomed the verdict, saying it affirmed that justice applies equally to all, regardless of status or calling. For the family of the deceased, officials noted, the ruling closes a long legal process, even as broader conversations continue about institutional safeguards and the responsibilities of organisations that wield moral authority.