Favour Madu, the sister of the late gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu, has told a Federal Capital Territory High Court that her sister was treated like an animal by her husband, Peter Nwachukwu.
Osinachi Peter Nwachukwu
Nwachukwu is standing trial on 23-count charge bordering on domestic violence and homicide instituted against him over the death of his wife.
During the hearing on Monday, Ms Madu, a data processing officer with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Enugu, testified as a second witness for the prosecution in the alleged culpable homicide case brought against Nwachukwu by the attorney-general’s office.
When Ms Madu, was asked by the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, to state why she wanted justice, she said: “Her husband never treated her well. He treated her like an animal, beat her anyhow, never made her happy and never allowed her to associate with her family.”
Ms Madu, 44, in addition, also told the court that her sister got married in 2008 and had four children. She said the oldest was 12 while the last girl was 7.
The witness further stated that they referred to Mr Nwachukwu as ‘Manager’ because he had control of everything, including her money, and her fear of him made her not relate well with her family.
She said: ‘‘There was a time she went for ministration, and when she asked for a stage fee, she was told that N2 million had been paid into her husband’s account. He was responsible for booking events, collecting money and only telling her to go and minister without giving pocket money.
“When my father was ill, he wanted to come to Abuja for treatment, but the defendant refused, and my dad eventually died. While travelling for our father’s burial, the defendant slapped her because she complained about how rough he was driving.
“My sister developed ulcer due to starvation because Nwachukwu never provided for his family. She was the provider for the family. My sister owns the house they lived in. He drove her out of the house with their last baby under the rain, and it was her first son that snuck a wrapper to cover the baby.”
Similarly, Caroline Madu, Osinachi’s mother, appealed to the court to aid her in getting justice for her daughter.
Mrs Madu, 61, a resident of Enugu, while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, as a chief witness through an interpreter, also informed the court that she and her other children were never allowed to visit Osinachi except on one occasion when she was ill.
She said, “I visited my daughter when I was sick and when we went to the church, Peter left my daughter, and I stranded in church while he drove away with the children.
“Peter called me a witch, sent me out of his house, and it was a man from Delta State that accommodated me. I saw her last December when she came to Enugu for a programme.
“Before then, there was a time she left her matrimonial home because of the ill-treatment, and she stayed with me for a year and three months before Peter came with a pastor to beg as he had turned a new leaf.
“However, after she returned and gave birth to her third child, she called me to say that she was hungry, and I had to send my son Chibuzor with food to her in Abuja.
“My son, after four days, called me that he was no longer comfortable as Peter poured water on him and told him never to help in washing his children’s clothes and poured water on Osinachi and her newborn baby when she was praying,” she testified.
During cross-examination of the witnesses by the defence counsel, I A Aliyu asked how she became aware of the occurrences since she was in Enugu.
Favour Madu said her deceased sister told her on the phone.
Mr Aliyu asked the witness if the family expected to benefit from her late sister’s finances, and she answered in the affirmative.
When she was asked if she asked what led to her sister’s death at the hospital, she said the defendant prevented the deceased twin sister and her brother, who were in the hospital, from asking the doctors.
Mr Aliyu, during cross-examination, asked Mrs Madu if she was aware that apart from the ulcer, she told the court her daughter knew she had other health challenges.
The deceased mother replied in the negative, and she said that she was aware that the matter was investigated, but she did not know the outcome of the investigation as carried out by the police.
When Imana attempted to re-examine Mrs Madu, Mr Aliyu objected and said there was no ambiguity in the question she was trying to ask.
The court, at this point, discharged the witness and called the next witness, Favour, the deceased sister, as the second prosecution witness
The judge, Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, discharged the witness and adjourned the matter until Tuesday to continue the hearing.
KanyiDaily had reported that Osinachi, who is known for her collaborative hit track “Ekwueme”, died at an Abuja hospital on Friday evening, April 8, 2022.
The 42-year-old singer was initially thought to have died of throat cancer but her associates claim it may be connected to an alleged assault by her husband, Peter Nwachukwu, who is now being investigated by the police.
Osinachi’s elder sister, Favour Made, had disclosed that the singer died five days after she was placed on life support following an assault by her abusive husband who kicked her in her chest during a recent attack.
Peter Nwachukwu was arrested by the police on Sunday, April 10, after Osinachi’s younger brother reported a case of culpable homicide against him in Abuja.
Last week, the Federal Government charged Peter Nwachukwu with culpable homicide contrary to section 221 of the Penal Code which is punishable with death.
