By Abiola Olawale
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, has sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging for culpable homicide.
The verdict, delivered by Justice Nwosu-Iheme, marks the end of the high-profile case that has gripped Nigeria since Osinachi’s tragic death on April 8, 2022.
Osinachi Nwachukwu, renowned for her soul-stirring hit “Ekwueme,” passed away at 42, initially believed to have succumbed to throat cancer.
However, allegations from family, friends, and colleagues pointed to a darker truth. The singer was said to have suffered from years of domestic violence at the hands of her husband, Peter Nwachukwu.
These claims sparked nationwide outrage, prompting a thorough investigation and Nwachukwu’s arrest.
Nwachukwu was subsequently arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), on behalf of the Federal Government, on a 23-count charge bordering on culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, spousal battery, among others.
The trial saw 17 witnesses, including Osinachi’s children, who testified against Nwachukwu, and 25 documents were submitted as evidence.
On Monday, Justice Nwosu-Iheme delivered the verdict, finding Nwachukwu guilty of culpable homicide, which carries a death penalty under Nigerian law.
The court sentenced him to death by hanging for Count 1. He was also sentenced to two years imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8,9, 12, 13, and 18.
The court sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment on Count 10, three years imprisonment on Count 11, while he was fined the sum of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively on Counts 6 and 7, respectively.
