Trial of Danish man accused of killing Nigerian wife, kid stalled

The trial of a Danish, Peter Neilsen, accused of killing his Nigerian wife and their daughter, was on Monday stalled due to the defendant’s delay in filing an application.

Nielsen, 54, is standing trial before a Lagos High Court, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) on two counts bordering on murder.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendant was accused of killing his singer wife, Zainab and their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Petra on April 5, 2018.

At the resumed hearing, the defendant’s Counsel, Mr Olasupo Shasore, SAN, filed an application requesting for some exhibits, to enable him conduct an examination.

According to defendant, on the last adjourned date, he asked the court for some exhibits in preparation for his defence.
Shasore said: “I would have filed the application before now, but for the strike”.

The silk told the court that he had three more witnesses, a pathologist from the University of Ibadan; a genetic witness from the University of Lagos teaching hospital and the defendant.

In his response to the application, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Adebayo Haroun, said the prosecution would need time to react to the application.

“If he had informed us that he would be serving us an application, on the last adjourned date, we would have replied,” Haroun said.
However, Justice Okikiolu-Ighile, frowned on the delay occasioned by the application.

“I feel so uncomfortable because time is ticking. Immediately after the strike was called off, I said this is one of the cases I must hear.

“I don’t have a court yet. I denied a brother judge from sitting today because I told him about the importance of this matter.

“This case is suffering, it’s alright to file an application, but the intention to file this application must have been there, since the last sitting, on March 31,” she said.

The Lagos State Government had accused the defendant of smothering Zainab and Petra to death at about 3:45am at No. 4, Flat 17, Bella Vista Tower, Banana Island, Ikoyi.

Nielsen was arraigned on June 13, 2018 and he pleaded not guilty to the two counts of murder which contravene Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The case was adjourned until July 19, for continuation of trial.