A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Wuse Zone 2 area of Abuja has sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, the late gospel singer Osinachi’s husband, to death by hanging.
The court convicted Nwachukwu for culpable murder, following the death of his wife on April 8, 2022.
Nwosu Iheme, the presiding judge, found Nwachukwu guilty of the charge, noting that the prosecution had met the legal burden of proof.
The office of attorney-general of the federation (OAGF) on behalf of the federal government, arraigned Nwachukwu on June 3, 2022, on a 23-count charge.
Among other charges, he was charged with culpable murder punishable by death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to minors, and spousal violence.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two children of the late singer.
The prosecution also presented 25 documents as exhibits before the court.
Reginald Nwali, the defence counsel, begged the court to be lenient in its decision in his allocutus just before sentence.
Aderonke Imala, the prosecution’s counsel, also urged the court to enforce the law as specified.
Nwachukwu was later given two years in jail on counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18, and on count 1, the judge condemned him to death by hanging.
In addition, the judge fined Nwachukwu N500,000 on Count 6 and N200,000 on Count 7, and sentenced him to three years in jail on count 11 and six months in prison on count 10.
