The mother of Osinachi Nwachukwu has narrated before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja how her in-law had threatened to kill the late gospel singer.
Mrs Caroline Madu, the 61-year-old told Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme on Monday during the commencement of trial that the accused, Peter Nwachukwu threatened to kill Osinachi if she (the mother) tried visiting her, Channels TV reports.
Madu, according to a report, told the court that her daughter, who was 42-year-old was last seen by her in December 2021 during a church programme before her eventual death on April 8.
When the singer was sick, Madu claimed to have told Osinachi that she needed treatment. She, however, said she would have to plead with her husband, adding that if she (the mother) visited her, her husband would kill her.
The singer’s mother, who was in tears, accused Peter of coming to steal her child. Madu said Peter told the family that he was an evangelist. On the contrary, he would beat her daughter like a carpenter working on a piece of wood.
During Osinachi’s pregnancy, the mother said her husband would beat her and when she asked her (Osinachi) to come and see him, the singer’s husband refused.
She added that Peter bragged that if she (Osinachi) did not go alive, she would go in death.
Madam Madu stated that the situation forced her to send her senior daughter – Favour Madu – to go and bring Osinachi home. The move was successful as Osinachi stayed a year and three months before Peter sent some pastors to plead with her family to take her back.
According to her, Osinachi agreed, telling her family, “What God has joined together, no man should put asunder.”
The late singer was said to have returned to her husband who then resumed the beatings.
When she asked Osinachi for monetary assistance, Madu claimed the late singer could not give her as the money was deposited in Peter’s account.
She further told the court that there was a time she was ill, and people had to plead with Peter to allow her to come over to Abuja for treatment. She recalled going to church with them one day and after the service, Peter drove off with the kids leaving Osinachi and her stranded.
She added that Osinachi never visited her in Enugu and Peter never allowed her to even pick up her call.
On Osinachi’s health status, Madu maintained her daughter only told her that she had an ulcer whereas the husband had claimed she died of lung cancer.
Upon hearing about her daughter’s death via radio and television on April 8, the grieving mother said people started coming to her house crying
In the evening around 7pm, she said Peter used Osinachi’s number and called her and she asked him how they were, stating that Osinachi was dead.
Responding, Madu told the court that she shouted in tears telling him (Peter) that the promise he made that if she didn’t leave alive, she would come in death, had finally come to pass. She recalled how he then cut the call and switched off the phone.
During the cross-examination, she said she never knew if Osinachi suffered from another ailment.
