Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of the late gospel singer Osinachi, to death by hanging.
The ruling, delivered today, comes after the court found him guilty of culpable homicide, which led to Osinachi’s death on April 8, 2022.
The judgment followed a thorough trial where the prosecution successfully established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Nwachukwu was arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF) on behalf of the Federal Government. He faced a 23-count charge, including culpable homicide punishable by death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, spousal battery, and other related offences.
The prosecution presented 17 witnesses, including two of the couple’s children, who testified as the fourth and fifth prosecution witnesses. Additionally, 25 documentary exhibits were tendered before the court. Nwachukwu, in his defense, testified and called four witnesses, submitting four exhibits.
Before sentencing, Nwachukwu’s lawyer, Reginald Nwali, pleaded for leniency. However, prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Aderonke Imala, urged the court to uphold the law. Justice Nwosu-Iheme then handed down the death sentence by hanging on Count 1. For Counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18, Nwachukwu was sentenced to two years in prison each.
He received six months for Count 10, three years for Count 11, and was fined N500,000 for Count 6 and N200,000 for Count 7.
