Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, has been sentenced to death by hanging following his conviction by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Wuse Zone 2, Abuja.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme delivered the judgement on Monday, April 28, 2025, after thoroughly reviewing the case and finding Nwachukwu guilty of culpable homicide which ultimately led to the untimely death of Osinachi on April 8, 2022.
Peter Nwachukwu was initially arraigned before the court on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), representing the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He was slammed with a 23-count charge, including culpable homicide punishable by death under Section 221 of the Penal Code, spousal battery, cruelty towards minors, and criminal intimidation, among several other serious allegations.
During the course of the trial, the prosecution, led by Mrs. Aderonke Imala, called a total of 17 witnesses to testify against Nwachukwu.
Among these witnesses were two of the couple’s children, who were presented as the fourth and fifth prosecution witnesses, offering emotional and damning testimonies against their father.
The prosecution also tendered 25 documentary exhibits as evidence to support their case and to establish the defendant’s pattern of abuse and violence.
On his part, Nwachukwu mounted the witness box in his own defence and also called four witnesses to testify on his behalf.
He further tendered four exhibits in a bid to exonerate himself from the charges levelled against him.
Before the final sentencing, Nwachukwu’s lawyer, Reginald Nwali, passionately appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy, pleading for leniency in view of the circumstances.
However, the prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Aderonke Imala, strongly urged the court to dispense justice firmly and uphold the full weight of the law without any form of compromise, stressing the gravity of the offence and the devastating impact it had on Osinachi’s family and the society at large.
After considering the arguments, testimonies, and evidence presented, Justice Nwosu-Iheme proceeded to deliver the sentence.
Peter Nwachukwu was sentenced to death by hanging on Count 1, which pertained to culpable homicide.
In addition to the death sentence, he was also handed two years’ imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18, relating to other acts of abuse and violence.
For Count 10, which involved a separate charge, Nwachukwu was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
On Count 11, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, further compounding his legal woes.
Moreover, the court imposed financial penalties, directing Nwachukwu to pay a fine of N500,000 on Count 6 and another fine of N200,000 on Count 7.
This landmark judgment marks a significant moment in Nigeria’s legal history regarding cases of domestic violence leading to death and has been widely hailed as a victory for justice.