A high court sitting in Wuse, Federal Capital Territory, has ordered the remand of Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of the late gospel artiste, Osinachi Nwachukwu, in Kuje correctional facility.
Peter was arraigned on Friday before Justice N.K. Nwosu-Iheme on 23 counts bordering on culpable homicide and domestic violence.
Following Osinachi’s death on April 8, many of her colleagues called out her husband, who they accused of subjecting the victim to domestic violence, leading to her death.
The police consequently arrested him and commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
His offence is said to contravene sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; Section 221 of the Penal Code; and the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Act 2015.
The charges read in part, “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.
“Statement of offence: Emotional, verbal and psychological abuse contrary to Section 14(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.
“Particular of offence: That you, Peter Nwachukwu, male, sometime between 14th November 2009 and April 2022 at Aco Estate, opposite police station, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit an offence to wit: emotional, verbal and psychological abuse on Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu (deceased) by humiliating her and making utterances like ‘you are smelling,’ ‘you are mad,’ to her in the presence of her music crew members.”
The presiding judge, Nwosu-Iheme, ruled that Peter, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, be remanded pending the hearing of the homicide-related suit instituted against him by the Attorney General of the Federation.
The judge ordered that the suspect be remanded at the correctional facility, while trial was adjourned to June 16 and 17.
