Caroline Madu, the mother of the late gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu, on Monday, pleaded with a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja to help her in getting justice for her daughter.
The ‘Ekwueme’ crooner died on April 8, 2022 and her husband, Peter Nwachukwu, was arrested later and charged for culpable homicide.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the 61-year-old Madu, a resident of Enugu, while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, as chief witness through an interpreter, also informed the court that she and her other children were never allowed to visit the late singer, except on one occasion when she was ill.
She said, “I visited my daughter when I was sick and when we went to the church, Peter left my daughter and I stranded in church while he drove away with the children.
“Peter called me a witch, sent me out of his house and it was a man from Delta State that accommodated me.
“I saw her last in December when she came to Enugu for a programme and before then, there was a time she left her matrimonial home because of the ill-treatment and she stayed with me for a year and three months before Peter came with a pastor to beg that he had turned a new leaf.
“However, after she returned and gave birth to her third child, she called me that she was hungry and I had to send my son, Chibuzor, with foodstuff to her in Abuja.
“My son, after four days, called me that he was no longer comfortable as Peter poured water on him and told him never to help in washing his children’s clothes and poured water on Osinachi and her new born baby when she was praying.”
NAN reported that when asked why she never visited her daughter when she was put to bed in line with Igbo culture, the defence counsel, I.A Aliyu, objected to the question and said it was a leading question.
Aliyu, during cross-examination, asked Madu if she was aware that apart from the ulcer she told the court her daughter had, she had other health challenges.
She replied in the negative and said that she was aware that the matter was investigated but she did not know the outcome of the investigation as carried out by the police.
NAN reported that for Monday’s proceeding, other family members of the deceased singer were in court.
Prominent among them were her two children, mother, brother and twin sister.
The defendant was earlier arraigned on June 3 and was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty to the alleged homicide charge filed against him by the Attorney -General of the Federation.
