A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Wuse Zone 2 has sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging following his conviction for her murder.
Judge Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, delivering her judgment on Monday, found Peter Nwachukwu guilty of culpable homicide in connection with the death of his wife, Osinachi, on April 8, 2022.
Osinachi, who tragically passed away on April 8, 2022, was initially believed to have died from throat cancer.
However, reports from her associates later suggested that her death was linked to abuse by her husband, who was subsequently arrested.
The federal government brought a 23-count charge against Nwachukwu, including culpable homicide punishable by death, criminal intimidation, child cruelty, spousal abuse, and other offences.
The trial, which began on June 20, 2022, and concluded on March 10, 2023, saw 17 witnesses testify for the prosecution. The accused’s children also gave testimony as the fourth and fifth prosecution witnesses, PW4 and PW5.
An autopsy report from the National Hospital in Abuja later stated that there were “no signs of violence on the deceased.”
The report attributed Osinachi’s death to factors such as “generalized organ pallor, bilateral leg swelling, fluid in the sac around the heart, tumor deposits in the heart, lungs, and kidneys, a massively enlarged heart, and fluid around the lungs that restricted breathing.”
Following the autopsy report, I. A. Aliyu, the defendant’s lead counsel, filed a no-case submission, arguing that Nwachukwu had no case to answer. However, the court dismissed the no-case submission.
The defendant then took the stand to testify in his defence and called additional witnesses.
In her judgment, Judge Nwosu-Iheme found the accused guilty on Count 1 and sentenced him to death by hanging. He was also convicted and sentenced to two years in prison on Counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18.
For Count 10, the defendant received a six-month sentence, while on Count 11, he was sentenced to three years in prison. Additionally, he was fined N500,000 and N200,000 for Counts 6 and 7, respectively.
