The Lagos Court of Appeal has upheld the death sentence given to Peter Nielsen, a Danish national, for the murder of his Nigerian wife, Zainab, and their daughter, Petra. The court rejected Nielsen’s appeal, finding it without merit.
In its ruling, the appellate court confirmed that the Lagos State Government had successfully proven Nielsen’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The court emphasized that DNA evidence reinforced the circumstantial evidence against Nielsen, and there was no proof of forced entry into the apartment, as Nielsen had claimed.
The court also noted that the loss of certain exhibits due to an attack on the court during the End SARS protests did not impact Nielsen’s defense, as he had ample time to present his case before the attack occurred.
Nielsen, 53, was first charged on June 13, 2018, with two counts of murder under Section 223 of Lagos State’s Criminal Laws, 2015, which mandates the death penalty upon conviction. He had pleaded not guilty. The murders took place on April 5, 2018, at around 3:45 a.m. at their home in Banana Island, Lagos.
During the trial, Justice Okikiolu-Ighile of the Lagos State High Court relied on the autopsy report by Professor John Obafunwa, which revealed that Zainab’s injuries were consistent with blunt trauma and smothering, causing her death. The same autopsy report confirmed smothering as the cause of Petra’s death.
The court heard testimony from several witnesses, including a housemaid, Zainab’s sister, and police officers, who detailed instances of domestic violence inflicted by Nielsen. Zainab’s sister, who was about 13 at the time, testified about a fight between the couple and Nielsen’s threats to kill her if she reported the incident.
Justice Okikiolu-Ighile stated that Nielsen was indeed responsible for the deaths of Zainab and Petra. The judge highlighted Zainab’s earlier warnings about Nielsen’s intentions to kill her. The evidence, including DNA analysis, supported the conclusion that Nielsen was the assailant.
The court found that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, particularly noting that the DNA evidence from Zainab’s nail scrapings pointed to Nielsen as the attacker. The judge also pointed out Nielsen’s history of domestic abuse and the fact that he was already married in Denmark, rendering his marriage to Zainab legally void.
In delivering the final verdict, the judge declared Nielsen guilty of the murders and sentenced him to death by hanging. Despite the ruling, Nielsen appealed, arguing that he was denied access to critical evidence and resources necessary for his defense.
He claimed the trial court had made legal errors by not allowing him to examine crucial exhibits, such as Zainab’s nightdress and Petra’s jumpsuit, which could have proved his innocence.
Nielsen’s appeal raised concerns about his right to a fair trial, asserting that the lack of access to exculpatory evidence constituted a denial of justice. However, the appellate court rejected these arguments and upheld Nielsen’s conviction, concluding that the evidence presented was sufficient to affirm the original verdict.
