Abuja, Nigeria – Justice Nwosu-Iheme of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Monday, sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, husband of late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging after finding him guilty of culpable homicide.
The court ruled that the prosecution had successfully established the burden of proof required under the law, holding Nwachukwu responsible for his wife’s death, which occurred on April 8, 2022. Delivering judgment, Justice Nwosu-Iheme emphasized that the evidence presented left no doubt as to the defendant’s culpability.
Nwachukwu, who was arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF) on behalf of the Federal Government, faced a 23-count charge. The charges included culpable homicide punishable by death, spousal battery, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, among other serious offenses.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two of the deceased singer’s children, who testified as the fourth (PW4) and fifth (PW5) prosecution witnesses. In addition, the prosecution tendered 25 documentary exhibits to strengthen its case.
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The defense, led by Peter Nwachukwu himself, called four witnesses and presented four exhibits in an attempt to refute the allegations. During allocutus (plea for mercy before sentencing), Nwachukwu’s counsel, Reginald Nwali, pleaded for judicial leniency, while the prosecution counsel, Mrs. Aderonke Imala, urged the court to enforce the full weight of the law.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme ultimately sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on Count 1 (culpable homicide). Furthermore, he received additional sentences including:
- Two years imprisonment each for Counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18
- Six months imprisonment for Count 10
- Three years imprisonment for Count 11
- Fines of ₦500,000 and ₦200,000 for Counts 6 and 7, respectively
The high-profile case has drawn significant public attention, given the circumstances surrounding Osinachi’s tragic death, and has reignited conversations around domestic violence and the protection of vulnerable individuals within families.
