THE SENTENCING of Peter Nwachukwu to death by hanging for the culpable homicide of his wife, popular gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, has sent ripples across Nigeria’s legal and social landscapes.
Beyond the tragic circumstances of her death, the case has come to symbolise a rare, decisive moment in the fight against domestic violence in the country.
On Monday, a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting at Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, found Nwachukwu guilty of culpable homicide under Section 221 of the Penal Code. In a judgment delivered by Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, the court ruled that the prosecution had successfully discharged the burden of proof. Despite Nwachukwu’s plea that Osinachi died of lung cancer, oral testimonies from 17 witnesses including two of the deceased’s children and over 25 documentary exhibits told a different story.
The conviction marks a watershed in Nigeria’s criminal justice system, where domestic violence cases, though rampant, often end in silence, withdrawal, or minimal sentencing.
The conviction of Peter Nwachukwu comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s persistent struggle with domestic and gender-based violence. According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), approximately 31 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 reported experiencing physical violence, while 9 per cent disclosed that they had suffered sexual violence.
Despite the enactment of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) in 2015 a landmark law criminalising various forms of abuse its domestication at state levels was initially slow. However, by September 2024, 35 out of Nigeria’s 36 states had adopted the Act, according to the Malala Fund and supported by Invictus Africa’s reports. This progress signals a growing nationwide commitment to combating gender-based violence through legal enforcement.
According to data published by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in 2023, “one in every three Nigerian women is likely to experience gender-based violence in her lifetime.” The Ministry noted that around 30 percent of women and girls aged 15 to 49 have encountered physical or sexual abuse at some point in their lives. However, convictions especially those that attract the maximum penalty remain extremely rare.
Despite Nigeria’s legislative frameworks, including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, most survivors face formidable barriers to justice. These include societal stigma, financial dependency, and pressure from family or religious institutions to settle matters privately. Minister Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim stressed that gender-based violence is not just a personal tragedy but “a gross violation of human rights and a threat to national development.”
The Legal Journey: A Test of the VAPP Act’s Potency
Peter Nwachukwu’s prosecution tested the limits and strength of the VAPP Act and other existing laws. The Federal Government’s 23-count charge against him included not just culpable homicide but offences under the VAPP Act, such as emotional abuse, criminal intimidation, spousal battery, and deprivation of liberty.
Section 14(1) of the VAPP Act, which criminalises emotional, verbal and psychological abuse, was instrumental in framing the charges. Evidence presented in court showed that Nwachukwu had locked Osinachi indoors, denied her access to finances, and physically assaulted her on multiple occasions.
The court’s reliance on both physical and emotional abuse in reaching a guilty verdict is seen as groundbreaking. Legal observers say the prosecution’s reliance on evidence of emotional and verbal abuse alongside physical violence reflects the growing influence of Nigeria’s Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) 2015, which legally recognises these forms of abuse as punishable offences. The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria has also consistently advocated for courts to take non-physical abuse as seriously as physical harm.
“Abuse, whether physical, emotional, or verbal, is never justified. FIDA Nigeria stands with survivors and holds abusers accountable.” FIDA said.
Death Penalty for Domestic Violence: A Rare Outcome
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The death penalty for domestic violence-related homicide remains exceedingly rare in Nigeria. According to a May 2023 report by Amnesty International, over 3,300 individuals were on death row in the country, with the vast majority convicted for offences such as armed robbery, terrorism, and non-domestic-related murder. This highlights the exceptional nature of Peter Nwachukwu’s sentence, making it one of the few high-profile cases where capital punishment has been applied in a domestic violence context.
Cases where domestic violence escalated to murder often ended in plea bargains, lesser sentences, or protracted trials without conviction. Osinachi’s case, culminating in a death sentence just three years after her death, is considered both swift and symbolic.
Human rights organisations argue that the judgment sends a powerful message that domestic violence, when fatal, will not be treated lightly. However, they also warn that systemic reforms including better police response, witness protection, and social support for survivors — remain necessary to prevent such tragedies.
Since the tragic death of Osinachi Nwachukwu in April 2022, there has been a noticeable shift in how Nigerian states and institutions respond to domestic violence. Several states, including Lagos, Enugu, and Kano, have either passed new legislation or strengthened existing laws aimed at protecting vulnerable individuals from abuse.
Lagos State, in particular, has witnessed a significant increase in domestic violence reports. According to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), there was a 64 per cent increase in reported cases in the year following Osinachi’s death. The agency disclosed in its 2023 Annual Report that it handled over 5,600 cases in a single year, with more than 70 per cent of the survivors being women and girls.
Similarly, a Premium Times investigation revealed that the agency now handles an average of 300 cases monthly, a figure that underscores both the rising awareness and the deep-rooted scale of domestic abuse across the state.
While Peter Nwachukwu’s death sentence is historic, experts caution against seeing it as an isolated victory.
“The battle against domestic violence cannot be fought only in courtrooms after the tragedy has occurred,” said a legal memo published by WARIF in 2024. “It must be prevented in homes, churches, communities, and workplaces.”
For many Nigerians, Osinachi’s story is a stark reminder of what happens when silent suffering is ignored. Her legacy may now be seen not just in her music, but in the changes her untimely death has begun to inspire across Nigeria’s legal and social systems.
