Update: Court sentences late Osinachi’s husband to death

Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Monday April 28, 2025, sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.

According reports, the court found Nwachukwu guilty of culpable homicide which led to the death of Osinachi on April 8, 2022.

Justice Nwosu-Iheme ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, meeting the legal burden placed upon it.

The judgment followed months of trial after Osinachi’s sudden death triggered national outrage.

The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), representing the Federal Government, arraigned Nwachukwu on June 3, 2022.

He faced a 23-count charge that included culpable homicide punishable by death, spousal battery, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, and intimidation of children.

During the trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses. Two of Osinachi’s children testified as Prosecution Witnesses 4 and 5 (PW4 and PW5), revealing incidents of repeated domestic violence.

The prosecution tendered 25 documents as exhibits, providing further evidence of abuse suffered by the late singer.

Nwachukwu, in his defence, testified personally.

He called four additional witnesses and submitted four exhibits to support his case.

Before sentencing, defence counsel Reginald Nwali pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

However, prosecuting counsel Mrs. Aderonke Imala urged the court to enforce the full weight of the law.

Justice Nwosu-Iheme sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on Count 1.

She also sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18.

He received six months’ imprisonment on Count 10, and three years’ imprisonment on Count 11.

Additionally, the court fined him ₦500,000 on Count 6 and ₦200,000 on Count 7.

Osinachi Nwachukwu, aged 42, was widely known for her hit song Ekwueme, which earned her national and international acclaim.

Her death on April 8, 2022, initially shocked fans and the public, as early reports suggested she succumbed to throat cancer.

However, subsequent revelations by family members, friends, and colleagues painted a different picture.

Allegations surfaced that Osinachi had endured years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her husband.

Close associates claimed that repeated assaults contributed to the complications that led to her death.

The widespread outrage that followed forced law enforcement and the government to launch a detailed investigation into her death.

The case quickly became a symbol of the dangers of domestic violence in Nigeria, spurring renewed calls for stronger protection of victims and harsher punishment for perpetrators.

With the court’s verdict, many Nigerians see the ruling as a significant step toward justice not just for Osinachi, but for all victims of domestic abuse.

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