A forensic expert, Edidiong Udoh, has revealed that the video evidence earlier tendered by William Ndarake (witness number 44) to the petitioners, is a scam stage managed to mislead the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo.
He insisted that the earlier claims by PW44 that the video showed massive thumb printing at Senator Christopher Ekpenyong’s house, noting that it was orchestrated where the GPS was switched-off by the witness to prevent analysts from tracing the location of the event.
Analysing the video at the tribunal yesterday, he said the evidence was stage managed contrary to Ndarake’s proof that its was recorded under duress with the phone placed on the ground and the video showed scenes recorded by more than one person with the participants fully showing indications of being part of the plot.
“If the phone was placed on the floor, the only angle it would have captured would have been only one point of the roof or one direction of the room.
“But the video showed activities of what happened even on top of the table and all angles of the room, meaning the device was in motion from the beginning to the end,” he argued.
Under cross examination by Counsel to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sylva Ogwemoh (SAN), Udoh further testified: “From my observation, over three persons were involved in making the video apart from PW44.”
Ndarake also misled the Tribunal by saying he later picked up the phone to continue the recording. All through the video, he was seated with legs stretched out and his hands on his thighs. This means that someone else recorded the video.
During cross examination by Counsel to the petitioner, Prof. Joash Omopitan, he maintained that, “It is impossible for PW44 to have made the video himself with his phone as he claimed because he was seen sitting with his hands on his thighs all through.”
Earlier, Counsel to the petitioners Justice S. Okutepa (SAN) objected to the admission of analysis of Udoh, who was subpoenaed by the tribunal.
But Counsel to the respondents prayed the court to allow the witness to testify, arguing that the evidence he would be tendering was in the interest of justice.
Governor Udom Emmanuel through his lead Counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) referred the Tribunal to a Supreme Court ruling in Igboyim vs Obianke that a respondent could give evidence in a matter pleaded by the petitioner.
Tribunal Chairman, Justice A. M. Yakubu overruled Okutepa’s objection and ruled that the subpoenaed witness should be allowed to analyse the PW44 video evidence.
