Peter Nwachukwu, husband of late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, has been sentenced to death by hanging by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja.
Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme delivered the ruling on Monday after rejecting Nwachukwu’s no-case submission.
The court found him guilty of culpable homicide over the death of his wife on April 8, 2022. Peter Nwachukwu was arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on behalf of the Federal Government, facing a 23-count charge.
The charges included culpable homicide punishable by death, spousal battery, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, and related offences.
During the trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two of the late Osinachi Nwachukwu’s children (PW4 and PW5), and tendered 25 documents as exhibits.
In his defence, Nwachukwu testified and called four additional witnesses, presenting four exhibits.
Before sentencing, Nwachukwu’s counsel, Reginald Nwali, pleaded for leniency, while prosecution counsel, Mrs Aderonke Imala, urged the court to uphold the full weight of the law.
Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme found Nwachukwu guilty and sentenced him to death by hanging on Count 1. He also received two years’ imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18; six months on Count 10; and three years on Count 11. Additionally, he was fined ₦500,000 and ₦200,000 on Counts 6 and 7, respectively.
