The widower of popular Nigerian gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu has been sentenced to death by hanging in connection with her death three years ago.
The 42-year-old singer was initially said to have died of throat cancer, before her family went public with allegations of domestic violence.
They accused her husband, Peter Nwachukwu, of abusing the music artist, which ultimately led to her death. A judge convicted him of 23 charges, including culpable homicide, and gave him the maximum sentence for the crime.
It is unclear if Peter Nwachukwu, who denied the charges, will be executed, as the authorities rarely implement the death sentence. He has the right to appeal.
The case, held in the High Court in the capital, Abuja, has drawn much attention in Nigeria because of the musician’s prominence, and widespread concern about domestic violence.
The late singer, who is survived by four children, was featured on the 2017 hit gospel song Ekwueme, which has more than 136 million YouTube views.
Peter Nwachukwu, who was arrested in 2022, was also charged with emotional, verbal and psychological abuse, cruelty to children and criminal intimidation of them.
Seventeen people, including two of the couple’s children, were called by the prosecution as witnesses during the trial.
Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme found the widower guilty of all the charges, saying the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
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