A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, has sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.
In a verdict delivered on Monday, Justice Nwosu-Iheme found Nwachukwu guilty of culpable homicide over the tragic death of his wife on April 8, 2022, a case that shocked the nation and reignited urgent conversations about domestic violence in Nigeria’s religious and social circles.
The judge held that the prosecution, led by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), had established its case beyond a reasonable doubt, satisfying the heavy burden of proof required for a conviction of this extent.
Nwachukwu had been arraigned on June 3, 2022, on a 23-count charge that included homicide, spousal battery, child cruelty, and criminal intimidation.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution handled 17 witnesses, including two of the couple’s children, who gave agonising testimonies about the abuse they witnessed, discovering a total of 25 documents which were also tendered as evidence, painting a grim portrait of sustained domestic abuse masked behind a successful music career.
In his defence, Nwachukwu testified personally and called four other witnesses, submitting four exhibits which were eventually neglected, as the court ruled that the evidence against him was overwhelming, despite the defence’s efforts.
Before the sentencing, Nwachukwu’s lawyer, Reginald Nwali, pleaded for leniency, highlighting the defendant’s role as a father. However, prosecutor Mrs. Aderonke Imana urged the court to apply the full weight of the law, insisting that justice for Osinachi and the countless victims of domestic abuse demanded nothing less.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme, emphasising the gravity of the crime and the need for deterrence, sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on the first count of culpable homicide.
In addition, he was sentenced to two years each on counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18; Six months’ imprisonment on count 10 and three years’ imprisonment on count 11.
He was also asked to pay a fine of ₦500,000 on count 6 and ₦200,000 on count 7.
The sentences are stipulated to run concurrently.
The tragic death of Osinachi, whose voice blessed millions with songs like ‘Ekwueme’, had sparked a national outcry and demands for greater protection for victims of domestic violence.
Many Nigerians on social media hailed the judgment that would send a resounding message that, abuse, or domestic violence of any sort within marriages, must not be tolerated.
