A’court affirms death sentence on Danish man over murder of Nigerian wife

The court of appeal in Lagos has upheld the death sentence of Peter Nielsen, a Danish national, for killing his wife and daughter.

In the judgment delivered on Friday, the appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by Nielsen for lacking in merit.

The appeal court held that the Lagos state government was able to prove the charge of murder against the defendant.

The court ruled that the defence of the appellant was not affected by the “missing exhibits as a result of the EndSARS attack on the court”.

BACKGROUND

On June 13, 2018, the state government arraigned Nielsen before the Lagos high court on a two-count charge of murder.

The offence is contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos 2015.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He was said to have killed Zainab, his wife — also known as Alizee — and his three-year-old daughter on April 5, 2018, at their Banana Island residence in Lagos.

Nielsen had told the court that he woke up at 2:30 am on April 5, 2018, and got snacks and drinks for his wife and daughter before going back to bed.

The defendant said when he woke up at 7:30am and did not see his wife on their bed, he searched for her.

Nielsen had also told the court that he saw his wife and daughter in their kitchen, where he said he perceived a strong smell of gas.

The defendant said he dragged his wife to the living room and asked one of the girls residing with them to carry his daughter, adding that he then covered them with two blankets after he realised that they had died.

In 2022, Bolanle Okikiolu-Ighile, the trial judge, found the defendant guilty of murder and sentenced him to death by hanging.