Court Rejects No-Case Submission in Osinachi’s Husband’s Homicide Trial

In a significant development in the trial of Peter Nwachukwu, the husband of the late gospel singer Osinachi, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court in Wuse Zone 2 has rejected his no-case submission. This ruling comes after a prolonged legal battle that has captured the nation’s attention.

Delivering the verdict on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, declared that “the prosecution has established a prima facie case against the defendant.” This decision marks a pivotal moment in a case that began with the mysterious death of Osinachi on April 8, 2022.

Initially, Osinachi’s death was attributed to throat cancer. Still, suspicions arose when associates of the late singer alleged that her passing was linked to domestic violence at the hands of her husband, Peter Nwachukwu, who was subsequently arrested.

The federal government responded by filing a 23-count charge against Nwachukwu, accusing him of culpable homicide. After pleading not guilty, the judge ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Kuje correctional facility pending further legal proceedings.

During the trial, the prosecution presented a compelling case, calling upon 17 witnesses to testify. The trial, which began on June 20, 2022, concluded on March 10, 2023, with a particular focus on the circumstances surrounding Osinachi’s tragic demise.

A pivotal moment in the trial came when the National Hospital in Abuja issued an autopsy report. This report stated that there were “no marks of violence on the deceased” and outlined the causes of Osinachi’s death as including “generalized organ pallor, bilateral leg swelling, fluid in the sac containing the heart, tumor deposits in and on the heart, lungs, kidneys, a massively enlarged heart, and fluid around the lungs that restricted breathing.”

In response to this autopsy report, I. A. Aliyu, the lead counsel for the defendant, filed a no-case submission, contending that Nwachukwu had no case to answer. Aliyu argued that the medical evidence presented exonerated his client from the allegations of culpable homicide and domestic violence.

He highlighted that the autopsy report confirmed Osinachi’s death as “solely the result of outgrowth tumors, which resulted in cardiac tamponade, the primary cause of death, and abnormal growth of tissue (cancer), which is the secondary cause of death.” Aliyu implored the court to acquit his client of all allegations.

However, the court has rejected this no-case submission, indicating that Nwachukwu will now be required to open his defense. This decision has set the stage for a critical phase in the trial as it moves closer to determining the truth behind the tragic death of Osinachi, the late gospel singer.