Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of late Nigerian gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, has been sentenced to death by hanging after being found guilty of causing her death through prolonged domestic abuse.
The court ruling, delivered at the High Court in Abuja, follows a three-year legal battle that began after Osinachi’s death in 2022, initially believed to be from throat cancer.
Her family later alleged she had been a victim of sustained physical and emotional abuse by her husband.
Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme convicted Nwachukwu on 23 charges, including culpable homicide, child cruelty, and psychological abuse.
Seventeen witnesses, including two of the couple’s children, testified during the trial.
Though he denied all charges, the court ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
While the death sentence has been pronounced, it remains uncertain whether it will be carried out, as executions are rare in Nigeria.
The case has reignited national conversations around domestic violence, especially given Osinachi’s fame from the 2017 gospel hit Ekwueme, which has over 136 million views on YouTube. She is survived by four children.
