The Rivers State branch of the International Federation of Women Lawyers has sympathised with the children of late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu as court sentenced her husband Peter Nwachukwu to death by hanging for killing the gospel singer.
Speaking with our correspondent, the state FIDA chairperson, Barr Emi George said the judgment is a good one because it will discourage gender based violence but a sad one because the children of the late gospel singer will be traumatised for life as she prayed God to help them.
Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme of the FCT High Court located in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, sentenced the husband of the late gospel singer to death by hanging after finding him guilty of culpable homicide resulting in the death of the deceased on April 8, 2022.
According to the state FIDA chairperson:”The judgment that was delivered is what one would describe as sad and justice being served as well. What do I mean? It is sad for me because as a mother and a gender advocate, I would say that the receivers of this gender based crime at the home front are the children.
“The children will be traumatised all the days of their lives. Judgment has been given that their father will die by hanging or serve life imprisonment if the governor or president has not signed the execution warrant.
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“We have been advocating over the years, persuading adults that are into marriages that once they see that the relationship is not going well and that the only means of communication that the other party understands is violence, please RUN!
“Even the Bible says we should run away from every appearance of evil. The late Osinachi was a public figure who loves God but at the home front, she was less than a slave. For the fear of stigma and the unknown, she kept it until it got to that level where her life became the sacrificial lamb in her marriage. I hope that people have learnt.
“On a daily basis, the economy is not smiling on marriages and the end receivers are the children. I plead with the men and women in Rivers State to shun gender based violence because the law is not silent. The judgment will either come now or in the future and the trauma is for life.
“I plead with those in marriage and relationship to desist from every form of evil and communicate with each other. Open your mouth and talk. Say it as it is and then resolve it amicably and see how both of you can work it out physically and spiritually and not to resort to violence.
“I am happy with the judgment because those who are still thinking that beating does not kill because their father used to beat their mother and she did not die and who are still believing that beating is part of marriage will now know that sooner or later, the law will catch up with them. Once the court has spoken, they will go in for it.
“I wonder what is going through the minds of the children. But they need to understand the reality that their parents are gone. They will live a life on their own and carry on with God helping them. Since I heard about that judgment, I had been analysing it up and down to see if it is such that should be welcomed and encouraged but I plead with all men, boys, women and girls to avoid violence.”
