By correspondent in Abuja.
Late Osinachi Nwachukwu.
(C). BBC.
In a verdict that closed one of Nigeria’s most shocking domestic violence cases, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Wuse Zone 2, has sentenced Peter Nwachukwu to death by hanging for the murder of his wife, renowned gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu.
Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, delivering the judgment on Friday ,found Nwachukwu guilty of culpable homicide, declaring that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court determined that his actions directly caused Osinachi’s death on April 8, 2022.
Our correspondent recalls that the federal government charged Nwachukwu on June 3, 2022, with a 23-count indictment that include culpable homicide punishable by death, spousal battery, criminal intimidation, child cruelty, and other related crimes.
Throughout the trial, which drew nationwide attention, the prosecution, led by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, called 17 witnesses, including two of the couple’s children, who gave emotional testimony as Prosecution Witnesses 4 and 5.
The prosecution also submitted 25 exhibits linking Nwachukwu to a pattern of sustained abuse.
In a desperate bid to escape the noose, Nwachukwu testified in his own defense and called four witnesses, presenting four exhibits.
His counsel, Reginald Nwali, pleaded for leniency ahead of sentencing, but Prosecutor Aderonke Imala pushed for maximum punishment, citing the severity and cruelty of the crime.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme upheld the capital charge, sentencing Nwachukwu to death by hanging for Count 1.
Nwachukwu also received multiple prison terms for other charges: two years each for counts of spousal battery and intimidation, and six years on another count of abuse.
The case, which began with the sudden and suspicious death of Osinachi, quickly evolved into a harrowing account of long-term domestic abuse.
Her passing sparked a national outcry and intensified calls for stronger protections against domestic violence in Nigeria.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
