TheNewsGuru

Tag: Homicide

  • Tragic! 22-Year-Old Man Remanded for Allegedly Stabbing Mother to Death in Kano

    Tragic! 22-Year-Old Man Remanded for Allegedly Stabbing Mother to Death in Kano

    A 22-year-old man, Ibrahim Musa, has been remanded in a correction center following the alleged killing of his 50-year-old mother, Hajara Mohammed.

    The Senior Magistrates’ Court in Kano issued the order for his remand after he was charged with culpable homicide.

    During the court proceedings, the Prosecution Counsel, Rabi’a Sa’ad, stated that the defendant committed the offense on May 3 in Rimin Kebe Quarters, Kano.

    According to the prosecution, on that day at approximately 6 p.m., Musa used a sharp knife to stab his mother, causing multiple injuries on different parts of her body.

    Hajara was immediately rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, where a medical doctor confirmed her death.

    Despite the charges against him, the defendant pleaded not guilty, but the police have stated that Musa’s actions are in violation of Section 221 of the Penal Code.

    In light of the circumstances, Senior Magistrate Ibrahim Almustafa-Kofarmata ordered that the case file be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice and adjourned the case until June 27.

  • Osinachi’s death: 2 employees make damning allegations against husband

    Osinachi’s death: 2 employees make damning allegations against husband

    Two employees of late gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu on Tuesday made damning allegations against the late singer’s husband, Peter Nwachukwu.

    The two employees, Mr Adetunji  Moses, a former Personal Assistant to  Osinachi and Ms Blessing Iyamabe, a hairstylist told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that her husband verbally and physically abused her.

    Mr Moses while giving his testimony led by the prosecution counsel, Yewande Gbola- Awopetu, alleged that on different occasions, Nwachukwu during rehearsals will refer to his wife as useless, lazy and indolent.

    He said he worked with the defendant and his wife as a PA and also a keyboardist from September 2018 to March 2021.

    Moses alleged that he left because he could no longer bear the anger of the defendant which was most times directed at him.

    ”In 2018, we travelled to Enugu. I was informed by the people who invited us that Nwachukwu left strict instructions that nobody should be allowed to visit mummy Osinachi.

    ”It was later I got to know that her family resided in Enugu and they were the reason he gave the instructions.

    ”On another occasion, we were to travel to Zimbabwe for ministration and that morning, Nwachukwu got into an argument with his mother-in-law who was visiting at the time and due to the altercation, we missed our flight.

    ”He tried to book us on another flight, but to no avail and on our way back from the airport, having missed our flight, it was a serious battle as Nwachukwu kept abusing his wife verbally.

    ”He told her that her family members were around to hinder our progress, to shut the door of the ministry and the blessings of God”, Moses alleged.

    The former PA further alleged that the defendant during a programme in Lagos instructed him not to allow the deceased’s twin sister to share the stage with her during ministration.

    Moses stated that on a visit to Uyo for another ministration, a cheque was issued in the deceased’s name and the defendant followed her to the bank to transfer the money into his account before he paid the crew members.

    “Some of the crew members like the bass guitarist got angry and left the group because of the defendant’s refusal to keep to the terms of their agreement which is to pay them a percentage from every ministration,” he said.

    During cross-examination, the defendant’s lead counsel, I. A. Aliyu asked Moses if the deceased always complained about ulcer pains to him and he said yes.

    Aliyu equally asked how close Moses was to the deceased as her PA. He said they had close interaction whenever they travel for ministration outside Abuja.

    The counsel also asked him if he was angry with the defendant because he refused to increase his salary and Moses replied no.

    Also giving evidence, Ms Blessing Iyamabe, hair stylist to Moses, 40, a resident of No 7, Lugbe Zone 6, Abuja alleged that sometime in 2013, when she went to the deceased’s house to make her hair, the defendant called his wife to give him her car key but Osinachi sent her son to give the defendant the key.

    “The defendant got angry, came to where we were making the hair and slapped his wife. I witnessed another abuse in 2018. He came to my shop and slapped the deceased for not seeking his permission before coming to the salon, she alleged.

    She said on one occasion she had to follow the deceased to her daughter’s school to make her hair because of fear of the defendant.

    She also alleged that she had to make the deceased daughter’s hair in a toilet at a mall because she needed to hide to avoid the defendant.

    While cross-examining her, Aliyu asked the witness if she advised the deceased to ever leave the defendant, as stated in her statement to the police.

    She responded that she gave her the advice because of the way the defendant was treating her.

    When asked if she knew what led to Osinachi’s death, Iyamabe stated that she was told that she died as a result of throat cancer.

    After listening to the testimony, Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme adjourned the matter until Thursday for continuation of trial.

    Nwachukwu, standing trial on  23 count charge bordering on domestic violence and culpable homicide, is accused of being responsible for the death of the late gospel singer who was popularly known for her song “Ekwueme”.

    Nwachukwu was arrested by the police after Osinachi died on April 8.

  • Alleged homicide: Court steps down Osinachi husband’s case

    Alleged homicide: Court steps down Osinachi husband’s case

    The alleged culpable homicide suit against Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer, Osinachi in a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Monday, was stepped down in order for his lawyers to align themselves to represent him.

    When the matter slated for hearing before Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme came up, the Prosecution Counsel, Aderonke Imana, informed the court that the matter was for hearing and that they were ready to proceed.

    A. Ogbonna also announced his appearance as watching brief of the nominal complainant.

    The counsel that represented the defendant during his arraignment, Victor Abakpa, however prayed the court to adjourn the matter until Tuesday, as another lawyer from a different chamber just informed that he was taking over the case.

    He further stated that he was equally served additional proof of evidence in the court just before the court started the day’s proceedings.

    I.A Aliyu on his part informed the court that he was briefed by the defendant on June 18 to take over the case.

    The court therefore stepped down the case to 11am in order for counsel to align themselves and come proper before it.

    During Monday’s proceeding, family members of the deceased singer, Osinachi were in court.

    Prominent amongst the family members were her two children, mother and twin sister.

    The matter which was adjourned until June 16, could not go on due to the absence of the judge.

    The defendant was earlier arraigned on June 3, and was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty to the alleged homicide charge filed against him by the Attorney -General of the Federation.

    He was therefore remanded pending the hearing and determination of the
    23-count charge bordering on domestic violence and homicide instituted against him.

    Nwachukwu was arrested by the Nigeria Police after his wife died on April 8 following wide spread allegations by their children, family and colleagues that he battered her leading to her death.

    According to the charge, the crime he allegedly committed contravenes Sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) 2015, Section 221 of the Penal Code and the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Act (VAPP) 2015.

    The charge read in part: “That you Peter Nwachukwu, 56, male, on the April 8 at Aco Estate, opposite Police Station, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this court, did commit an offence to with: culpable homicide punishable with death in that you caused the death of Osinachi N.

    “This was caused by your various acts of violence and aggravated assault with the knowledge that her death would be the probable consequence of your act.

    “Particulars of offence: That you, Peter Nwachukwu, male, sometime between Nov. 14, 2009 and April 2022 at Aco Estate, opposite Police Station, Lugbe, Abuja, FCT, within the jurisdiction of this court, did commit an offence to wit: emotional, verbal and psychological abuse on Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu (deceased).

    “This was caused by humiliating her and making utterances like ‘you are smelling,’ ‘you are mad,’ to her in the presence of her music crew members.”

    The statement of offence bordered on emotional, verbal and psychological abuse contrary to Section 14(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

    The late gospel singer was popularly known for her song “Ekwueme”.

  • Osinachi to be buried on June 25 – Family

    The family of the late gospel artist, Osinachi Nwachukwu, has fixed June 25, 2022, for her burial.

     

    According to a message by members of the Osinachi family, Osinachi will be buried in her father’s compound at Isuochi, Abia State instead of her husband’s compound.

     

    The aggrieved family also said they are contemplating returning the singer’s bride price.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that news about the death of Osinachi broke out on 8th April 2022.

     

    It was later alleged by family members and friends that the singer’s death was due to the numerous assaults meted on her by Nwachukwu.

     

    Osinachi came into the limelight with the hit, “Ekwueme”, which she sang alongside Prospa Ochimana, reportedly died on Friday, April 8 in an Abuja hospital.

     

    It was not immediately clear what the cause of her death was, however, an autopsy was carried out by the FCT Police Command and the result was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution for vetting and possible prosecution.

     

    The police also did not give details of the autopsy, but there have been several allegations by family members of the deceased, including her children and other close associates, suggesting that the gospel singer had lived under the torture of her husband during their years of marriage.

     

    This sparked public outcry and national discourse on gender violence, with the police arresting Nwachukwu, the alleged wife beater, with deeper investigations being conducted.

     

    During a meeting between the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Allali Baba and the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen as well as the family members of Osinachi, the police boss assured that the matter would be investigated thoroughly and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

     

    It would be recalled that recently the Attorney-General of the Federation filed 23-count charges against Nwachukwu.

     

    He was charged under sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and culpable homicide contrary to section 221 of the Penal Code which is punishable with death.

     

    The case with charge number, CR/199/2022, was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on May 20, 2022, by the Head, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Yewande Gbola-Awopetun.

     

    The prosecutor accused the defendant of forcefully ejecting the deceased from the family home, contrary to the VAP Act, adding that he also attempted culpable homicide by pushing Osinachi out of a moving vehicle.

     

    The Federal Government further alleged that the defendant deprived the deceased of her personal liberty by restraining her movement and locking her up in the house.

     

    Nwachukwu was equally accused of emotional, verbal and psychological abuse contrary to section 14(1) of the VAP Act, 2015.

     

    The defendant was said to have denied Osinachi access to her money for medication and household necessities and forced her into begging and borrowing.

     

    The charge further alleges that Osinachi’s husband forcefully isolated and separated her from her family by preventing the deceased’s mother and siblings from visiting her matrimonial home.

     

    Nwachukwu was similarly accused of cruelly beating the children and recording their cry and playing it on his phone, noting that he threatened the children and prevented them from reporting the acts of domestic violence against their mother to his pastor, Dr Paul Enenche or any other person.

  • Ex-police officer denies killing neighbour’s 17-year-old son

    Ex-police officer denies killing neighbour’s 17-year-old son

    A former police officer, Insp Haruna Ocheni has told an FCT High Court in Kubwa that he did not shoot his neighbour’s 17-year-old son to death.

    The police charged Ocheni with culpable homicide.

    Led by his counsel, Mr Gabriel Salifu, the defendant said that he was attached to the Police Surveillance Squad Galadima, FCT Command when the incident happened in 2020.

    “My neighbour Gabriel Chimezie called me on March 24, 2020 at 5:23 a.m, and asked me to see him at home over a domestic issue.

    “He told me that his son stole his 555KVA generator and I asked the boy to take me to the person who bought the generator.

    ”On our way, the boy dipped his hands in the middle of a 6-inch building block and removed a sharp cutlass, slashed me on the head and I fell down.

    “The 17-year-old boy snatched my AK47 from me and fired it. I held on to the gun nuzzle and we struggled over the gun, ” Ocheni said.

    He added that the Investigating Police Officer, Felix Peter did not produce the cutlass the boy used on him as an exhibit in court because he said it was irrelevant.

    During cross-examination, the Prosecution Counsel, Adama Musa asked the defendant if his attempt to recover the generator was from a personal or official capacity.

    Musa asked if the defendant was conversant with the use of a firearm, having worked for 32 years in the police and if it must be loaded and ”cocked” before a shot is fired.

    Ocheni answered:” I know how to operate a firearm and I did not visit my neighbour on official duty but because he called him”.

    Musa further said the essence of a safety cartridge in a firearm is to regulate when a bullet is fired and if the safety catch was closed it cannot fire a shot.

    “On every AK47 rifle, the operator is at will to fire a shot at interval or rapidly at a single touch, what part of the deceased body was shot by a bullet? Adama asked.

    He also asked if the defendant had a medical report to show that he was injured on the day of the incident.

    The defendant in response said he did not know where the deceased was shot because he did not shoot him adding that the evidence of his injury was with the Kubwa Police Station.

    Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya adjourned the case until March 10 for the continuation of defence.

    The police alleged that the defendant shot the 17-year-old boy to death in his father’s house, in March 2020.

  • Court sentences man to death by hanging for culpable homicide

    Court sentences man to death by hanging for culpable homicide

    A High Court in Bauchi on Thursday, sentenced a man, Ahmadu Ali to death by hanging for culpable homicide.

    The State charged Ali alongside Sa’idu Adamu and Saminu Yahaya, with conspiracy and culpable homicide.

    Delivering Judgment, Justice Muazu said:”the prosecution has successfully established the offence of culpable homicide punishable with death against Ali, I hereby convict you for committing the offence of culpable homicide punishable with death.

    “Based on the proven facts in this case, Adamu and Yahaya are hereby convicted of committing the offence of criminal assault on the deceased contrary to section 265 of the Penal Code law of Bauchi state.

    “Having regards to the plea of tempering justice with mercy to the accused persons made by their counsel, I hereby make the following sentence.

    “That you Ali, are hereby sentenced to death by hanging and that you shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead.

    “That Adamu and Yahaya, are hereby sentenced to one calendar year term of imprisonment without option of fine,” he said.

    Earlier, the Lead Prosecution Counsel, Ali Shehu told the court that the convicts on March 30, 2015 beat up Mubarak Shehu and stabbed him with a knife over mere argument.

    He added that the victim sustained serious injuries and was referred to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano where he died on March 31, 2015.

    The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Section 221 of the Penal Code Law.

    In his submission, the Defence Counsel, Mr Y. I. Kangere, prayed the judge to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convicts.

    Commenting on the judgment, the second Defence Counsel, Mr Usman Salami, said that if the convicts and their relatives decide to appeal the decision of the court, he will gladly go for it.(

  • ‘Why spousal homicide is on the increase’

    ‘Why spousal homicide is on the increase’

    Two lawyers, Mrs Toyin Ojo and Mrs Bola Ajayi, in Lagos, on Wednesday, have linked the recent increase in spousal killings in the country to domestic violence.

    The lawyers, who spoke in separate interviews, said that domestic violence was the major factor responsible for the killings, adding that women were mostly the victims.

    Ojo said that most women killed by their husbands had been physically abused before the murder.

    “There have been cases of domestic violence between the spouses prior to the death. Most women that kill their husbands reacted to the accumulated abuse that the husbands have subjected them to”, she told NAN.

    She urged parents and religious leaders to stop advising couples to remain in abusive marriages.

    “Some spouses are advised to continue to endure the abuse and be prayerful for God’s intervention. Women should have been encouraged to leave abusive marriages, in order to avert incidences of killings”, Ojo said.

    According to her, most of the killings were accidental, the perpetrators only wanted to use the weapons to defend themselves only for their intentions to go wrong.

    In a similar vein, Ajayi said that some men believed they must be violent in order to be respected by their wives so as not to be seen as being weak.

    She said that childhood experience of violence and abuse was also responsible for homicide.

    “Men who were abused in their childhood or observed their fathers abusing their mothers are at greater risk for abusing their wives.”

    She advised that psychological assessments of intending couples be conducted before marriage, in order to curb the menace.

    Ajayi urged the police to always attend to victims of spousal abuse and not to dismiss and consider it as a family matter.

    She also listed a history of stalking, infidelity, lack of trust and insecurity as other factors of spousal killings.

  • Number of homicides in Mexico hits record 35,588 in 2019

    Number of homicides in Mexico hits record 35,588 in 2019

    Mexico logged a record high of 35,588 killings in 2019, official statistics showed on Tuesday.

    The number is the highest since comparable statistics began to be issued more than two decades ago.

    The number of killings grew by 2.7 per cent compared with the previous year, while growth was 17 per cent in 2018.

    Most of the killings are attributed to criminal gangs. About 60,000 people remain missing in the country.

    Previous governments tried to combat the high crime rate with security crackdowns.

    Leftist President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who assumed office in December, created a National Guard, but has also pledged social measures such as employment opportunities for young people

  • South African prosecutors to charge ex-pres. Zuma’s son with homicide

    South African prosecutors will charge former president Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane with homicide after a 2014 car crash that left one woman dead, a spokesman said, reversing a previous decision not to do so.

    The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) gave Duduzane Zuma a two-month deadline that expired at the end of March to make representations as to why he should not be prosecuted, but he failed to do so, spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku said.

    “He will be charged with culpable homicide,” Mfaku said.

    Attempts to reach Duduzane, who rarely speaks to the media, were unsuccessful. His lawyers could also not be reached.

    State lawyers initially decided not to prosecute Duduzane after his Porsche 911 sports car ploughed into a minivan taxi in Johannesburg, killing Phumzile Dube and seriously injuring two others, police said at the time.

    In October, rights group Afriforum said it would privately prosecute Duduzane Zuma, if the public prosecutor did not.

    The NPA has since reversed its initial decision.

    During an inquest in 2014, Duduzane said his car hit a puddle and he lost control‚ veering into the taxi‚ which in turn smashed into a barrier, describing the incident as “tragic”.

    It was not immediately clear when the case against Duduzane Zuma would be brought in court, Mfaku said.

     

  • FG arraigns man, 26, for alleged culpable homicide

    FG arraigns man, 26, for alleged culpable homicide

    The Federal Government through the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday arraigned Mr Kabiru Nasiru at the FCT High Court, Jabi for alleged offence of culpable homicide.

    The defendant, a resident of Gwagwalada, Abuja was first arraigned in January on the one-count charge punishable with death against the provision of Section 221 of the Penal Code.

    He was said to have stabbed a man, Muhammed Salisu to death in Kumu village, Gwagwalada in November 2015.

    Some villagers reported Nasiru to the police, since then he has been in the custody of the police until January when he was arraigned.

    Mr Adula Samson, the defendant counsel had prayed the court to grant his client bail after he pleaded not guilty and the court did not take Nasiru’s plea.

    Samson had cited Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution that the defendant was still innocent until the contrary was proven.

    He also prayed the court to consider the provision of Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and grant the defendant bail.

    At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Samson had also prayed the court to strike out the case for lack of diligent prosecution.

    According to the counsel, it is necessary due to the absence of prosecutor at the last two sittings in April and May.

    He said that the prosecution did not have enough evidence that was why they were employing delayed tactics.

    The counsel cited section 1 and section 351 of ACJA to buttress his point on why the court needed to strike out the case.

    Meanwhile, Counsel to the prosecution, Mr Yusuf Lawan, informed the court that the prosecution had filed in an amended charge on the matter.

    Lawan also told the court that the prosecution was having four witnesses to prove its case on the matter.

    In her ruling, Justice Vera Venda, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety who must own a house in the FCT and must be a permanent resident of the city.

    The judge said that it was unfair on the part of the police to keep the defendant in its custody since 2015 without charging him to court until 2017.

    “ACJA has zero tolerance for delay in criminal justice; he was arrested in 2015 and was brought to court until January 2017.

    “There is need for the prosecution to show regards for the provision of ACJA, having spent one year in the custody, it is a special circumstance, I am sure they had no evidence to prosecute the matter or whatever the circumstance may be,’’ Venda said.

    The judge therefore adjourned the matter till Sept. 26 to take the plea of the defendant on the amended charge and Sept. 27 for the hearing of the matter.

    Venda also pronounced Oct. 4 and Oct. 5 for the continuation of hearing on the matter. (

     

     

     

    NAN