A Lagos High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square of Lagos Island on Friday, 20th May sentenced a Danish man, Peter Nielsen, to death by hanging for killing his Nigerian wife, Zainab and his three-and-a-half-year-old daughter.
Justice Bolanle Okikiolu-Ighile gave the five-hour-long verdict, according to Channels television.
The presiding judge, Justice Bolanle Okikiolu-Ighile, found the accused guilty on counts one and two of murder filed by Lagos state.
“I thus pronounce that you Peter Nielsen shall be hanged by the neck till death,” the judge said. May God grant you mercy.”
After accepting the appearances of the prosecution counsel Adebayo Haroun and the defense lawyer Uyi Giwa-Osaigie, Justice Okikiolu-Ighile commenced reading the judgment at 11:10 a.m.
The judge had scheduled the ruling for Friday, May 6, but court authorities notified journalists that the judgment was not ready, so it was postponed until today, May 20.
Justice Okikiolu-Ighile had set May 6 as the date for the judgment after the court heard submissions and adopted the prosecution and defense’s final written addresses on March 1, 2022.
The prosecution was able to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, according to the judge.
Nielsen, aged 53, was charged on June 13, 2018 with two counts of murder in violation of Section 223 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.
Nielsen murdered his wife, Zainab, and their daughter, Petra, at 4 Flat 17, Bella Vista Tower, Banana Island Ikoyi, according to Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kazeem Adeniji.
