The Court of Appeal in Lagos has upheld the death sentence of Peter Nielsen, a Danish national, for the murder of his wife and daughter.
The judgment was delivered on Friday, dismissing Nielsen’s appeal for lacking merit.
The appellate court affirmed that the Lagos State government successfully proved the charge of murder against Nielsen. The court also ruled that the defense was not hindered by the “missing exhibits as a result of the EndSARS attack on the court.”
Peter Nielsen was initially arraigned before the Lagos High Court on June 13, 2018, on a two-count charge of murder, contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos 2015.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Nielsen was accused of killing his wife, Zainab, also known as Alizee, and their three-year-old daughter on April 5, 2018, at their residence on Banana Island in Lagos.
According to Nielsen, he woke up at 2:30 am on the day of the incident to get snacks and drinks for his wife and daughter before returning to bed. He claimed that upon waking up at 7:30 am, he found his wife and daughter in the kitchen, where he smelled a strong odor of gas.
Nielsen said he dragged his wife to the living room and instructed a girl residing with them to carry his daughter, after which he covered them with blankets upon realizing they had died.
In 2022, the trial judge, Bolanle Okikiolu-Ighile, found Nielsen guilty of murder and sentenced him to death by hanging.
This recent judgment by the Court of Appeal reinforces the initial conviction and sentencing, bringing a significant closure to the high-profile case.