Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo, the state capital and presided over by Justice Ntong Festus Ntong, has adjourned for accelerated hearing from April 24, 25 and 26, in a case of rape instituted against ace Nollywood Actor and former Aide to governor Udom Emmanuel, Moses Armstrong.
The court had ordered trial within trial of Armstrong, who is standing trial for alleged rape of his adopted daughter.
The trial within trial is coming after Mr. Armstrong objected to the tendering and admissibility of his alleged confessional statement in which he allegedly admitted that he raped the minor.
When the prosecution sought to tender the extrajudicial statement in evidence, Armstrong objected and told the Court that he made the said statement to the Police under duress and torture after he was slapped and beaten thoroughly.
At the resume hearing yesterday, the Police prosecutor attached to the Family Support unit of the state Police Command, dismissed Armstrong’s torture claim, recalling that “he made the confessional statements on June 14, 2022, under a very conducive atmosphere.”