The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, has delivered a landmark judgment, sentencing Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of the late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.
Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme on Monday dismissed Nwachukwu’s no-case submission, paving the way for the guilty verdict.
Nwachukwu was found guilty of culpable homicide resulting in the death of the deceased (his wife) on April 8, 2022.
The judge held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and therefore, found the defendant guilty.
Persecondnews recalls that Nwachukwu was arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on behalf of the Federal Government on a 23-count charge bordering on culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, spousal battery, among others.
During the trial, the prosecution had 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.
The defendant testified for the defence and further called four other witnesses and tendered four exhibits in his defence.
Shortly before sentencing, the defence counsel, Mr. Reginald Nwali, in his allocutus pleaded with the court to be lenient in its judgment.
But the prosecution counsel, Mrs. Aderonke Imala, urged the court to give force to the law as stipulated for the offences committed.
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 convict was also fined the sum of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively on counts 6 and 7 respectively.
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