A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Wuse on Friday remanded Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer, Osinachi, in the Kuje Correctional Facility, pending the hearing and determination of the homicide-related charges filed against him by the Attorney General of the Federation.
Justice N.K. Nwosu-Iheme gave the order after the defendant pleaded not guilty to 23 counts bordering on domestic violence and homicide, among others.
The judge, after ordering that Nwachukwu be remanded, adjourned till June 16 for commencement of trial.
“Accelerated hearing is hereby ordered,” Justice Nwosu-Iheme added.
Nwachukwu’s wife died on April 8 and many of her colleagues had accused her husband of subjecting the deceased to domestic violence, leading to her death.
Afterwards, the police arrested and kept him in detention.
In the charges against him, the AGF said Nwachukwu acted contrary to sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; as well as Section 221 of the Penal Code and the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Act 2015.
Part of the charges read: “That you, Peter Nwachukwu, 56, male, on the 8th of April, 2022 at Aco Estate, opposite police station, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit an offence to wit: culpable homicide, punishable with death in that you caused the death of Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu by your various acts of violence and aggravated assault with the knowledge that her death would be the probable consequence of your acts.”
The prosecution alleged that Nwachukwu subjected his late wife to “emotional, verbal and psychological abuse contrary to section 14(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.”
In the particular of the offence, the prosecution claimed that Nwachukwu ridiculed or humiliated his late wife by making utterances such as “you are smelling,’ ‘you are mad,’ to her in the presence of her music crew members.”
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