Court Fixes Date For Final Addresses In Case Of Dane Who Allegedly Killed Wife, Daughter

The Lagos High Court sitting at Tafa Balewa Square has fixed March 1 for the adoption of final written addresses by lawyers in the trial of a Danish businessman, Peter Nielsen, accused of killing his Nigerian wife and daughter.

Justice Bolanle Okikiolu-Ighile, fixed the date after the defence counsel, Mrs Dolapo Oyewale, closed their case.

The Lagos state government had arraigned Nielsen before the court on a two-count charge of murder contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2015.

The state had alleged that the defendant aged 53 killed his Nigerian musician wife, Zainab also known as Alizee and his daughter on April 5, 2018 at about 3.45am at their Banana Island Residence in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.

The defendant however, pleaded not guilty.

At the resumed hearing of the matter, the prosecuting counsel, Adebayo Haroun, informed the court that the defendant served him with their written address on February.

Haroun said that he needed time to study the address before filing his reply, which was the reason that he served the defendant his reply in court on Monday morning.

In response,the defendant counsel, Mrs Oyewale applied for a short adjournment to enable her file a reply on points of law to the final written address filed by the prosecution.

Justice Okikiolu-Igbile granted the adjournment and fixed proceedings for March the 1st.

At the last adjourned date, the defendant told the court that he realised that his wife and daughter had died before a doctor arrived their home.
Nielsen said he then covered them with two blankets after realising that they had died.

The defendant said this during his cross-examination.

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

The defendant said when he woke up in the morning and did not see his wife on their bed, he went to search for her.

Nielsen said that when he saw his wife and daughter in their kitchen, he dragged his wife to the living room and asked one of the girls living with them to carry his daughter.

“I covered my wife and daughter with blankets after I tried to resuscitate them but realised that they had died,” the defendant testified when asked if he already pronounced Zainab and Petra dead before a doctor arrived.

The Lagos State Government accused the defendant of smothering Zainab and Petra to death at 3:45 a.m. on April 5, 2018 at 4, Flat 17, Bella Vista Tower, Banana Island, Ikoyi.

Nielsen was arraigned on June 13, 2018.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the two counts of murder punishable under Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.