ABUJA — In a landmark judgment, Justice Nwosu-Iheme of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Wuse Zone 2, on Monday sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.
The court found Nwachukwu guilty of culpable homicide, concluding a highly publicized trial that began after Osinachi’s tragic death on April 8, 2022. Justice Nwosu-Iheme ruled that the prosecution had successfully discharged the burden of proof, establishing that Nwachukwu’s actions directly resulted in his wife’s death.
Nwachukwu was initially arraigned before the court on June 3, 2022, facing a 23-count charge filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF). The charges included culpable homicide, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children and spouse, as well as spousal battery.
Throughout the trial, the prosecution presented 17 witnesses—including two of the couple’s children, who testified as PW4 and PW5—and tendered 25 documentary exhibits. In his defence, Nwachukwu personally testified and called four other witnesses, submitting four exhibits.
Before sentencing, Nwachukwu’s lawyer, Reginald Nwali, made a passionate plea for leniency. However, the prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Aderonke Imana, urged the court to apply the full weight of the law given the gravity of the offence.
In her ruling, Justice Nwosu-Iheme sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on the first count of culpable homicide. Additionally, he received two years’ imprisonment each on counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18; six months’ imprisonment on count 10; and three years’ imprisonment on count 11. The court further imposed fines of ₦500,000 and ₦200,000 on counts 6 and 7, respectively.
The verdict brings to a close one of the most closely followed cases in recent Nigerian legal history, stirring nationwide conversations about domestic abuse and justice for victims.
