Peter Nwachukwu’s husband was sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Nwosu-Iheme of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Wuse Zone 2 in Abuja, just thirty-five months after the death of popular gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu.
On April 8, 2022, Nwachukwu was found guilty of culpable homicide, which caused the death of the deceased (his wife). The judge found the defendant guilty after concluding that the prosecution had met the legal burden of proof.
On June 3, 2022, Nwachukwu was charged with 23 counts, including culpable homicide punishable by death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, and spousal battery, by the Office of Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), acting on behalf of the Federal Government.
While delivering judgement yesterday, the judge held that the prosecution had discharged the burden of proof placed on it by the law and subsequently found the defendant guilty.
He was charged of offence bordering on culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, and spousal battery, among others.
During trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two children of the late Osinachi, who testified as fourth and fifth prosecution witnesses (PW4 and PW5) , respectively. The prosecution also tendered 25 documents as exhibits before the court.
Also, the defendant testified for the defence and further called four other witnesses and tendered four exhibits in his defence.
Before sentencing, the defendant counsel, Reginald Nwali, in his allocutus, pleaded with the court to be lenient in its sentencing.
But the prosecution counsel, Mrs Aderonke Imala, urged the court to give force to the law as stipulated.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme subsequently sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on count 1, while he was 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, and three years imprisonment on count 11, while he was fined the sum of N500,000 and N200,000, respectively on counts 6 and 7.
