The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken legal actions against the husband of late gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu.

The charges against Peter Nwachukwu included homicide, contrary to section 221 of the Penal Code, which is punishable with death.

He was charged in accordance with Sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

The case against Peter Nwachukwu was filed on May 20, 2022, by the Head of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation at the Ministry of Justice, Mrs Yewande Gbola-Awopetu.

Gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu, passed away on April 8 at a hospital in Abuja.

Following her death, there were reports that she had died of cancer; however, her family quickly went on record to dismiss the claims.

In an interview with Vanguard Nigeria, the elder sister of the late singer said, Osinachi died due to a cluster of blood in her chest after she was kicked in that region by her husband, Mr Peter Nwachukwu.

She claimed her sister had been abused on numerous occasions by her husband.

However, the husband of the late gospel singer denied having a hand in her death during police investigations.

Mr Nwachukwu told the Police that his wife had been unwell since November 2021. He was later arrested and has since been assisting with investigations.

The National Hospital conducted an autopsy to determine the singer’s cause of death. The report was handed over to the police but the findings were not made public.

The charges against Mr Nwachukwu come a month after the hospital completed the autopsy report.

The Federal Government (FG) alleged that Mr Nwachukwu deprived the deceased of her personal liberty and restrained her movement by locking her up in the house.

He was also accused by FG of subjecting Osinachi to emotional, verbal and psychological abuse.

FG told the court that investigations revealed that the defendant denied Osinachi access to her money for medication and household necessities, and thereby forced her into begging and borrowing.

They alleged that Osinachi’s husband forcefully isolated and separated her from her family by preventing her mother and siblings from visiting her matrimonial home.

Nwachukwu was further charged for cruelly beating his children, recording their cry and playing it on his phone.

Among the charges count, one reads, “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 with: 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.”

The second count reads “Statement of offence: Wilfully placing a person in fear of physical injury contrary to section 4(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.”