Nnaji while giving her testimony led by the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana said she became close to the deceased as her Aco Estate, Airport Road, Lugbe, Abuja shop and residence were close to the Nwachukwu’s house.
“The first time in 2014, when Nwachukwu brought her for her measurements, when they got to the house, he said, idiot come out for your measurements”.
Nnaji said she was shocked that it was his wife he referred to as an idiot.
She added that the deceased confided in her that the defendant was always hitting her at the slightest provocation.
”Ekwueme, as I used to call her, came to my shop one day with injuries on her daughter’s head and she told me that the defendant pushed her and the child into the wall”
”The daughter had a fever at the same time and I was the one that gave Ekwueme money to buy drugs from the pharmacy to give her daughter
“Another time she came and showed me injuries on her back and told me that Peter kicked her on her back with his leg and she slammed into the wall with her chest.
”One day she ran to my house at about 5am and said that the previous night she locked her door and he kicked it open with his leg and proceeded to hit her on her chest.
”She fell to the floor and remained there crying until she slept off”, Nnaji alleged
She further said the defendant was in the habit of locking his wife out whenever she went to church and she would be at the gate knocking for hours.
She said at times it took the intervention of neighbours before she would be allowed in and that she slept in her house for two days, on one of the occasions he refused to allow his wife into the house.
She also testified that on one occasion he left her in church after a vigil night and while she was trying to find her way home, she was attacked by hoodlums who disposed her of her phone and bag.
”When Ekwueme got home and told him about the incident, he said you are lucky you were not killed as that will have been the best thing that could have happened to you” Nnaji alleged.
Nnaji equally said the defendant threatened that he was going to destroy the deceased’s reputation, kill her brother and that was the reason she was afraid to tell anyone about her ordeal.
Nnaji also said when she told the singer to report the abuse to the police, her family, church and also a human rights radio, she refused.
” When I told her that I was going to report to the church, she begged me not to, saying that her husband will change”
Speaking about when the deceased was ill, she said she had to sneak into her house to help her clean to avoid the defendant getting angry and complaining about an untidy house.
”Even when she was ill, she travelled for ministration and came back complaining about chest pain and she said she didn’t have money to treat herself
When the witness was asked about the defendant’s nature of his job for him to be at home always to beat the wife, she said, ”I asked Ekwueme, she told me that her husband was her manager and that he does not have any other job”.
The defence counsel, I. A Aliyu who was slated to cross-examine the witness after the prosecution was through, craved the indulgence of the court to adjourn until Friday.
The judge, Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, however, stepped down the matter until 2:30pm.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that two former employees of the deceased testified for the prosecution on Wednesday and alleged that the defendant verbally and physically abused the late singer.
Nwachukwu is standing trial on a 23 count-charge bordering on domestic violence and culpable homicide and is accused of being responsible for the death of the late gospel singer who was popularly known for her song “Ekwueme”.
Nwachukwu has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Facility since April after his wife’s death.
“The first time in 2014, when Nwachukwu brought her for her measurements, when they got to the house, he said, idiot come out for your measurements”.
Nnaji said she was shocked that it was his wife he referred to as an idiot.
She added that the deceased confided in her that the defendant was always hitting her at the slightest provocation.
”Ekwueme, as I used to call her, came to my shop one day with injuries on her daughter’s head and she told me that the defendant pushed her and the child into the wall”
”The daughter had a fever at the same time and I was the one that gave Ekwueme money to buy drugs from the pharmacy to give her daughter
“Another time she came and showed me injuries on her back and told me that Peter kicked her on her back with his leg and she slammed into the wall with her chest.
”One day she ran to my house at about 5am and said that the previous night she locked her door and he kicked it open with his leg and proceeded to hit her on her chest.
”She fell to the floor and remained there crying until she slept off”, Nnaji alleged
She further said the defendant was in the habit of locking his wife out whenever she went to church and she would be at the gate knocking for hours.
She said at times it took the intervention of neighbours before she would be allowed in and that she slept in her house for two days, on one of the occasions he refused to allow his wife into the house.
She also testified that on one occasion he left her in church after a vigil night and while she was trying to find her way home, she was attacked by hoodlums who disposed her of her phone and bag.
”When Ekwueme got home and told him about the incident, he said you are lucky you were not killed as that will have been the best thing that could have happened to you” Nnaji alleged.
Nnaji equally said the defendant threatened that he was going to destroy the deceased’s reputation, kill her brother and that was the reason she was afraid to tell anyone about her ordeal.
Nnaji also said when she told the singer to report the abuse to the police, her family, church and also a human rights radio, she refused.
” When I told her that I was going to report to the church, she begged me not to, saying that her husband will change”
Speaking about when the deceased was ill, she said she had to sneak into her house to help her clean to avoid the defendant getting angry and complaining about an untidy house.
”Even when she was ill, she travelled for ministration and came back complaining about chest pain and she said she didn’t have money to treat herself
When the witness was asked about the defendant’s nature of his job for him to be at home always to beat the wife, she said, ”I asked Ekwueme, she told me that her husband was her manager and that he does not have any other job”.
The defence counsel, I. A Aliyu who was slated to cross-examine the witness after the prosecution was through, craved the indulgence of the court to adjourn until Friday.
The judge, Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, however, stepped down the matter until 2:30pm.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that two former employees of the deceased testified for the prosecution on Wednesday and alleged that the defendant verbally and physically abused the late singer.
Nwachukwu is standing trial on a 23 count-charge bordering on domestic violence and culpable homicide and is accused of being responsible for the death of the late gospel singer who was popularly known for her song “Ekwueme”.
Nwachukwu has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Facility since April after his wife’s death.
May we not marry what will break us as spouses because what in Gods name is this?
ReplyDeleteAmen o. Because truly what is this?
DeleteIf she had divorced this beast perhaps she will be alive today.
DeleteWould i blame her no. People in abusive marriages or relationships find it hard to leave.it takes God's divine intervention to do so. Yesterday i heard of one that was burnt by her husband.
DeleteAnon 9:56. Enough with this blame narrative please! It is insensitive and ignorant!!! You haven’t been on the shoes of an abused person so please keep shut
Delete@Eka, why this? I echo your question too. We need to examine the reasons why women stay. If they know better and know that those reasons are not good enough for them to stay in abusive relationships then more people, women and men will find the courage to leave.
DeleteI can tell you that there are more women going through stuff worse than this and are still there.
Anon 10:51 so anon 9:56 should shut up bcos she's saying the obvious truth. What's with that stinking narration of if you've not been in their shoes then don't judge all about?
Deletei will keep saying it any woman that refused to leave an abuser is no longer a victim but an enabler. Leave to live is my mantra. Any one that allowed fellow human send her to untimely grave will also be severely punished by God bcos he has given us will power and wisdom to flee from all appearances of evil. kai! I'm pissed off each time i see women being killed like nama rago..
Unfortunately if she had divorced him, she might still be dead
DeleteAbusers often kill their victims if they leave
@Nigerian daughter ,that one na dodoyo na. Bright dodoyo. We should first step into the shoes of an abused before telling them to leave?
DeleteWho wants to be so stupid as to allow oneself be abused?
No be my type person sha because even shouting at me, I will make sure you regret your life.
A man must be completely mad to think he can raise his hand on me and I will keep quiet looking like dundee.
I will feed him that madness to the power of 1000.
Carry una dirty type suffer head marriage.
10:30 if you are being abused do not remain there...
DeleteHow I wish those in abusive marriage would read this.
DeleteReading this got me so angry
ReplyDeleteI am sad reading this woman's story. Leave if your spouse is abusing you.
DeleteI really can't comprehend why that woman chose to suffer and endure such maltreatment from her husband. May her soul continue to rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteImagine what she went through? Kai! Too much for one person.
DeleteHer reason would definitely be her children. But I am sure the kids are angry with her even at dead for not leaving!
DeleteAll this suffer for what?? Marriage?? SMH. This case should end already. This man is pure devil 😈.
ReplyDeleteThe evidences are clear. He should be prosecuted abeg. He did a lot of damages to this woman. Ekwueme may you continue to rip Amen 🙏
ReplyDeleteThis is heart breaking! What a simp of a man! Highly insecure ba***s***d!
ReplyDeleteAsin deep inferiority complex,. So he had to use bullying to exercise authority.
DeleteWerey
I am angry,just like the lady I read about yesterday that set her house on fire.What is wrong?How can one be so scared of a human being to speak up and leave a home where you are not safe?
ReplyDeleteTnk God , d Judge is a woman, if he escapes death penalty, he’ll not escape life imprisonment.
ReplyDeleteI'm still wondering why exactly she chose to stay with an old, ugly and jobless man!!!
ReplyDeleteIt beggars belief.
DeleteGaskia fa. The man is the pure definition of talaka da hot temper. Wawa mutum.
DeleteWuked sombori
DeleteShe stayed with him so that the society and the church will not condemn her for divorcing her husband. Churches would stop calling her to mount their pulpits and sing. Her career would have suffered. Her kids especially the females would have suffered. They would say 'don't marry a girl who was raised by a single mum'.
ReplyDeleteWhen we stop discriminating against divorcees, more women will leave abusive marriages.
Keep resting Osinachi.
May the man rot in jail.
True @ Mercy
DeleteThey would say "God hates divorce"
People would talk whatever they want to but she would still be alive. Even now, the condemnation she was avoiding she is still getting it even in her death. Her dead body will not raise her children for her now. Regardless, she should have left that ugly beast of a man. This is too much for one person to have passed through, abeg
DeleteYou are so correct. The society most especially her fellow women will be the ones that will mock her the most.
DeleteThank you!!!
DeleteThis here is the main reason.
If she had as ‘little’ as separated, NO CHURCH would call her so they don’t stain their holy pulpit.
Infact, DUNAMIS was more likely than not to ask her to take a back seat.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise na. Why did Victoria Orenze keep her marriage history out of the media. Because once they know, Otilo for you.
The truth is that when we as a society begin to uphold the standard and sanctity of marriage while asking people who are being abused to take a step back and evaluate and ASK GOD QUESTIONS, more of this would keep on happening.
Why this powerful minstrel didn’t take a step back to deliberate and seek the face of God is what I would never understand.
She literally was led as a lamb to the slaughter and allowed herself to be killed for nothing!!! Leaving behind damaged children in her trail.
My dad used to hit my mum and abuse her. He even used to hit us. Throw things, beat all of us up.
She doesn’t see well with her eyes, always squinting.
He stopped when he started fighting back. I told him one day that the next time he touches my mum, he will see fire from me.
That was when he stopped
Now he has resorted to verbal abuse even after 30 plus years of the marriage
I got married and entered with so much defensiveness, ready to fight for my rights, still angry at my dad and somehow resentful towards my mum for not leaving.
My mum HAD SUCH a bright future. Smart, beautiful, well spoken, hardworking.
Yet she allowed one man to reduce her self esteem.
She has turned into this very shy woman who has walks built around her. It pains me deeply everytime I think of the prospects my mum had.
She even looks shrivelled and old as she’s stuck with taking care of my now ailing father.
God forbid that that is my life.
I would rather live and flourish
God also made it easy for me; he gave me a good man. They no dey even shout on my head talkless of beating me.
Na me dey find trouble pass.
I pray God heals me totally. Amen.
Sha see my long story.
Anonymous me ☺️
Mercy, the fact is that there are people that will never stop doing these things you mentioned, it's our job to raise our children right and keep creating awareness of these type of things. Tell people to ignore who will think whatever but do what is best for yourself and children first.
DeleteMalaria and HIV are no more deadly diseases because of all the awareness that has been created as well as easy access to treatments readily available, of a man/woman is abusing you in your marriage, walk away and seek help, don't become a statistic.
@Mercy
DeleteHmmm
"They would say dnt marry a girl dat was raised by single mum". Indeed, u av said it all🤗🤗
We r six girls raised by a single mum
It was not funny aswear
But wen suitors were coming to ask for our hands in marriage
The first thing my mum told dem was she was a single mum n she doesn't like it but she has to accept where she found herself, she never allowed society to intimidate her. She was even given a title in d church and wen she told d women she could nt handle d post cos she is a single mum, they replied her dem no blind, say she is worthy of emulations say na hubby she no get she get d rest wen dey see d way she lives her life
Today we r all married n by His grace all her sons in law call her their mum n even confide in her
In my mum's voice" ko si marriage lorun" (no marriage in heaven)
Religion and Society is eating, killing slowly, putting sharkles, chains on hands and legs, dog taps on mouth 👄, and brain 🧠 washing with lies of sentiments and fear that can only be wash with the soap 🧼 that comes with embraced awareness if allowed to.
DeleteMany have fallen with the truth of their fall, Many although open to public refuse help because of religion and society. Hmmm 🤔 may all find and accept help at the right time Amen 🙏
It's really a pity a woman of her caliber could die this way. She should have spoken out but she was living a lie which she had to sacrifice her life for. It's a great lesson for so many who are in same shoe. When I saw my man n his mum and siblings would eventually kill me I had to run for my life. He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day. You live life but once so it's not meant to be lived in sadness. May her soul rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteNa wah,upon all the sufferings she remained and died there...
ReplyDeleteI just can't understand why Osinachi endured such physical and emotional torture. Continue to rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteWhat is this for God's sake 😭😭😭😭 what is this???!!!!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this I find it hard to tell her to rest in peace. What is all these? What is she hiding that the husband would tell the world that made her continued in such a a place that dehumanised her to the minimum, a shinning star of such level. I am beginning to even question her Christianity cause if you know yourself in Christ and if you are sane, you won't cover up for a husband that not only abused you that much, he also abused your children.
ReplyDeleteWhat is this for Christ's sake? I am so angry right now.
My sister the issue reach to vex person. These days i don't bother typing RIP to victims that died in DV bcos they had the option to run away but choose to remain claiming rubbish.
DeleteChai! Osinachi! I am upset with all the revelations that I am reading about what Osinachi had to go through. I am tempted to say a lot of people failed this woman.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked to read that she actually has a brother. Because all these testimonies are upsetting. A lot of people knew??????
Osinachi 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔.
Rest on beautiful
Nobody failed her dear. She failed herself. No one can help you except you've decided to help yourself. When her family traveled from Enugu to Abuja to take away from that beast when he nearly killed her few months after she had her second son,shebi she went back to him after three months and gave the monster more kids join self. The brother is their last born living in one ghetto in Abuja and suffering like a nobody. So who should rescue the other among the both of them?
DeleteHow on earth could anybody take half of the shit.
ReplyDeleteWhen you become born again there is always an agent of the devil assigned to torment you, in this case the husband was the used as the agent, to break her and make her stop those songs because her song is powerful. Now the devil go leave am em eyes go clear stupid man. You had no Business marrying the woman but you wanted to hide your lazy ass
ReplyDeleteShe died a painful death. He was always kicking her on the chest, he truly set out to kill her and she died from chest related issues.
ReplyDeleteShe died as a "Mrs" and left those children to fate.
I pray that God changes those children's mindset and make them humane, merciful, God-fearing, kind and loving. I can't even imagine what seed their parent's union and mum's death had planted in their young hearts. Rip to her
Sad. Sad. Sad. Most women stay in abusive marriages because of "what will people say". And truly, humans are terrible. We will all condemn her now she's dead. But if she had left the marriage, the same Nigerians will judge and condemn her for having the audacity to minister as a divorcee. There's no name they won't call her.
ReplyDeleteOsinachi, God rest your soul. Your death was completely avoidable. If only you had left that beast. If only you had damned whatever and left in one piece. Sigh!
Hmmm. Last month, my step sisters husband called me crying that she left him with 5 kids and went to her aunty's place with her mom. That there was no food in the house, the kids are crying and when she was leaving, he was begging her and crying she didn't answer. I wanted to ask, oga did you beat her? I knew it must have been DV because they have been married for 17 years and I've known about him beating her for 13 years now.
ReplyDeleteSo I sent him money and told him I will call her, when I did she said he's always beating her but that day she left, he beat her with cutlass and stripped her naked. It was the neighbours that came to give her wrapper to cover up and she can't take it anymore because she doesn't want to become Ekwueme. I didn't see the connection between what she was saying and Ekwueme but reading this now has given the meaning.
The funny thing is, the man is jobless, how do you beat someone feeding you and your five children? He called me the next morning that if she wants to go she can go but she should take her children afterall, many ladies are in church fasting and praying to even get husband that would be beating them and they would manage him like that.
She said when she started fearing for her life was the day he told her, if he beats her and she dies, he would say undiagnosed HBP killed her because my late dad had HBP and same as my stepmother. The thing was so messy and after 4 days, he went to dump the children with her at her aunty's place.
Giving succour to an abused woman is something but with 5 children. This man strip his wife naked publicly at events.
I can go on and on, sent money to support her and all but guess what, just this morning he messaged me that she has come back home. Anytime I call her, she won't bring it up and I knew she would go back and she indeed has so I can only hope and pray she doesn't become Ekwueme.
She went back to a jobless man who beats her and strips her naked?
DeleteThis comment is disturbing me.
DeleteMa'am/sir, why didn't your family rally round and rent a house for her and her kids? Since she is the breadwinner, she will be fine without the man. I think she doesn't have a place to live with five kids, that is why she went back. Pls do something before he kills her🙏
He may use that Cutlass to cut her one day. Ha God!
DeleteBlood of Jesus😢
DeleteLol Asia did they tell you she needs a place to stay
DeleteIf the man kills her tomorrow one anon would come and tell us we should not judge bcoz we've not walk in her shoes. O.k. now.
DeleteHa. Please oo, you people should talk more sense to her. I have noticed people that stay in abusive marriage do not have someone to stand up for them that's why the man keep misbehaving. If you get brother, make una go the man house warn am. If him try am again, make una flog am for bum wella. Nonsense!
Delete14:01
DeleteHa tor! The comment is doing me somehow especially the beating with cutlass part. What if in the heat of the anger, he uses it to cut her fatally? OMG!
I was just wondering why she went back, thinking maybe it is accommodation issues. You know it is not easy to house a woman with her five kids except family house. She may not want to go back to family house considering her business or job and children's school.ay God help her.
Asia, forget that thing. A woman with 10kids will leave if she means to. This story is just like my mum's friend, except they had just one child. He would attack her with cutlass, chase her around their estate, etc. God helped her because he left on his own and married someone else. But get this: she NEVER left! She was doing well financially with just one child but she never left him despite everyone telling her to. After he remarried, she was so sad that she resorted to alcoholism. Forget all these excuses o. Many of these women are more than capable of taking care of themselves. They have just chosen their path.
DeleteSad you didn't use an ID nor give us a contact to help find this lady now that she is still alive to help her where she can't till now... This write up here can SAVE a soul!! Thank God for internet as well as this great SDK family, who knows? There are people attached to NGO, Human/women's right organization as well as physiologist, Mental councillors and free minded people like me that can open their heart/doors/time/and knowledge to help this lady that is still alive as well as the others with same struggle out there. Let us all help the LIVING even it be against their will!! There is joy in knowing you tried/gave in all your best than Not trying at all.
DeleteSuch arrangement called marriage should be dissolved to avoid loss of live or permanent maiming.
DeleteThere should be no negotiation over such things,afterall if the man was dead,won't the woman survive with those children no even when he is a shameless pauper.
I am a man and i believe There's no justification for abusing anyone whether man or woman.
Keep resting Ekwueme
ReplyDeleteJust imagine the pains she went through every day in this man's hands hmmm and till now some are still in that situation
ReplyDeleteThis man is sooo wicked!. He really hated Her...evil incarnate. May we or our children NEVER marry a "husband" that is our enemy in Jesus mighty name...AMEN!
ReplyDeleteAmen
DeleteHorse 🐎 band from the pot of hell..
ReplyDeleteRot in jail
The man is an animal , like really?
ReplyDeleteThe devil is no longer in hell but lives amongst us in the form of men like this monst.er.
ReplyDelete”One day she ran to my house at about 5am and said that the previous night she locked her door and he kicked it open with his leg and proceeded to hit her on her chest." 😠😠😠 The mon.ster was always targeting her on her chest, This is a premeditated murder.
See the animal in human skin a supposed believer married. Wretched eggs from satan himself.
ReplyDeleteThe hatred I have for many Nigerian men ehn, gosh I cant describe it.
I hope he is not the one raising her children before he goes on to kill them too.
the hatred is unhealthy
DeleteSomeone that is remanded in prison, God forbid. Even if they release him, he should not live with those kids. Evil man
Delete12:18 I can't help it. I feel such deep, vicious hatred for them.
DeleteI see them as less than excrement.
They should hang this man already
ReplyDeleteIt makes sense now that she stayed
ReplyDeleteHe was threatening to kills her brother
Kill*
DeleteIs the brother underage?
DeleteHe does not know the way to police station to file report.
She wanted to remain MRS so society will not mock her.
Because she had seen how your myopic, regressive, primitive society treats, single women, divorced women, babymamas, infact just be female, the denigration don begin.
Because the same hypocrites congregating here forming eyaaaaaa like hyenas would still come out to mock her after separating or divorcing her husband.
Most especially the wretched hypocritical judgemental christian lot. Tueh!!!!
Seems like she was a sicker for punishment, because I don't understand her telling people about all the abuse only for them to tell her sorry and whenever they push for her to take further steps she will say no. Maybe she just liked to hear 'sorry'.
ReplyDelete😂😂😂😂😂😂 your last few sentence eeeh!
DeleteImagine praying that her jobless,old husband will change.Now see where that has left her innocent kids.Continue to rest in peace ma
ReplyDeleteWhy did I read this?
ReplyDeleteMy dear, that's the least we have heard. It is well.
DeleteShe really suffered
ReplyDeleteStella even her hair dresser has her own encounter. This man is worst than a beast. Imagine, your wife? The mother of your kids? No o, is unbearable.
ReplyDeleteWorse*
DeletePathetic
ReplyDeleteThis woman just killed her self for nothing. Beast in the form of a husband.
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad. Well...he finally changed after her death. Women please leave to live. Your children will thank you for it, for as long as you continue to stay in an abusive relationship, the cycle will continue with the kids you are breeding.
ReplyDeleteContinue to rest in peace dearest Osinachi
ReplyDeleteImagine the way she was covering for him until he killed her.
ReplyDeleteOsinachi suffered o. 😭.
ReplyDeleteAnd a lot of women are still going through worse.
Who did African women this pls? Who lied to us that marriage is all we are here for?
God bless every man that is taking good care of his home and loving his wife and kids, amen 🙏
Where you see them, where dem dey? LMAO!!!!!
DeleteMaybe 1 in every 500,000 knows what it actually means to be a husband, father and leader of a home.
Na you women dey cover dia bony yansh na, you know.
Some women will never leave a toxic relationship ie the one that physical, emotional torture is involved
ReplyDeleteI wish I can type my experiences with these women
ReplyDelete