The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dane

  • Witness’ absence stalls Dane’s murder trial

    A Lagos High Court yesterday adjourned the murder trial of a Dane, Peter Schau Nielsen, till April 3, following the absence of the last prosecution witness.

    Deputy Director of Prosecutions Dr. Jide Martins told Justice Mobolanle Okikiolu-Ighile that the witness, Dr. Somairi, was not available.

    Nielsen, 53, is standing trial for the death of his Nigerian singer wife, Zainab, and their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Petra.

    He was last June 13  charged with their murder, an offence said to be contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Nielsen, Zainab, Petra, Gift and Favour Madaki, who are Zainab’s stepsisters, were said to be in the apartment on the night of the incident.

    The state accused Nielsen of beating up and smothering Zainab and Petra around 3:45am, at No 4, Flat 17, Bella Vista Tower, Banana Island, Ikoyi.

    At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, Martins explained Somairi’s absence.

    He said last Friday during a pre-trial meeting with the witness, it was discovered that there were other essential information required by the prosecution, which were not before the court.

    Martins said: “My Lord, the matter for today is for continuation of trial, but, unfortunately, Dr. Somairi, who is our last witness, is not in court.

    Read also: Murder trial of Danish: Defence counsel seeks thorough investigation

    “We were in a pre-trial meeting on Friday and we realised that there are other information very essential and that information is not before the court.

    “We hope that by Wednesday the information will be ready and we will serve same on the court and the defence.

    “Our application is for the court to vacate Tuesday (today) and Friday. He is a vital witness, whose testimony will help the court. We are still coming back on Monday.”

    But Justice Okikiolu-Ighile was not pleased.

    “Learned Deputy Director, today is wasted, tomorrow is wasted, Friday is wasted. You have disorganised my list,” the judge said.

    Justice Okikiol-Ighile adjourned till April 3.

  • Alleged murder: Dane to undergo DNA screening

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Thursday authorised Peter Nielsen, the Danish national accused of killing of his wife, Zainab and their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Petra, to have his blood analysed for DNA.

    Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile permitted the sample to be collected by the Lagos State Government following a request by Nielsen’s counsel, Olasupo Shasore (SAN).

    Nielsen, 53, was docked by the state on a two-count charge of murder contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    According to the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kazeem Adeniji, Nielsen committed the alleged offences on April 5, at the couple’s Banana Island, Lagos home.

    He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Adeniji also told the judge that an interim autopsy has been released, while the full report would be out in four weeks.

    Justice Okikiolu-Ighile remanded Nielsen in prison till October 8 when the trial would commence.

     

     

  • DPP’s report indicts Dane for ‘murder of wife, daughter’

    •Court extends suspect’s remand by 51 days

    A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday extended by 51 days the remand of Danish national, Peter Nielsen, following a Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) report which indicted him for murder.

    Nielsen, 53, is suspected of killing his singer wife, Zainab Nielsen, and their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Petra on April 5, at their Banana Island, Lagos home.

    Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye granted the remand extension to enable the prosecution file a charge against Nielsen at the Lagos High Court, which has the jurisdiction to try murder.

    The DPP’s advice marked April 19, was tendered in court alongside the application for an extension of Nielsen’s remand, by prosecuting counsel Effiong Asuquo, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).

    It reads in part: “After carefully considering the facts available in the duplicate case file, this office is of the considered opinion that a prima facie case of murder contrary to Sections 223, of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State, 2015, exists against the suspect, Peter Nielsen.”

    Mrs Ayeye adjourned the case till June 28, for mention.

    On April 11, Nielsen was brought before the court on a two-count temporary charge of unlawful killing.

    It reads in part: “That you Peter Nielsen, male, on April 5, 2018 at Block 4, Flat 17, Bella Vista Tower, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, did unlawfully kill your wife, one Zainab Nielsen, aged 37 years and your daughter, Petra Nielsen, aged three- and-a-half years”

    His plea was not taken as the court had no jurisdiction over the matter, rather Nielsen was remanded at the police’s request.

    Last year, Zainab, alias Alizee, signed a two-year record deal with an Asian record label, Petra Entertainment.

    The deal reportedly earned the Kogi State native a new Ford explorer SUV, a house on Banana Island and international distribution with affiliates of her record company in Asia.

    In January, she released a single, ‘Alhaji Musa’.

  • Police: how Dane tried to cover wife’s, daughter’s death

    Forensic examinations of evidence from the Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos home of Peter Nielsen, 53, alleged to have killed his wife and daughter indicated traces of blood stains cleverly wiped, the police said yesterday.

    Although initial reports suggested that the woman, Zaynab, was strangled and her three-year-old daughter, Patra suffocated, autopsy report conducted showed that Zaynab suffered trauma because of impact on her head.

    Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal yesterday suggested that there were attempts by the suspect to cover up his crime, which forensic experts traced with the use of special chemical reagents.

    Edgal said: “The autopsy revealed that Mrs Zaynab Nielsen suffered trauma as a result of the impact on her head. Secondly, forensic experts revealed that there were blood stains from the couple’s bedroom to the kitchen.

    “Though it was cleverly wiped from the floor, the experts were still able to detect it with the application of special chemical reagents. In addition, blood stains were also discovered on the wash hand basins and on the hand towel the suspect used in wiping his hands after the commission of the offence. Although it was cleverly cleaned up as well, the experts were able to discover that too.”

    Edgal said the Danish Embassy was co-operating with the police, adding that the embassy provided legal representation for the suspect.

    He said: “I spoke personally with the ambassador apart from the official correspondence. They also arranged for counsel for their citizen so they are following the process very closely. We did not parade the suspect for obvious reasons. Do not forget he’s not a Nigerian and so, there are diplomatic connotations.

    “This is a man being accused of first degree murder. So, it would have been wrong for the police who are going to prosecute him, to also begin to parade him before such prosecution. However, he was charged to an open court. We are concerned with ensuring that he is diligently prosecuted and justice is done.”

  • Court remands Dane for ‘murder’ of Nigerian wife, daughter

    A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court yesterday remanded a Dane, Peter Nielsen, accused of killing his wife, Zainab, and their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Petra.

    Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye remanded Nielsen, 53, in Ikoyi Prison, following police request.

    Nielsen was arraigned on a two-count charge of unlawful killing.

    The charge, marked B/87/2018, was read to the defendant in English.

    It reads: “That you Peter Nielsen, male, on April 5 at Block 4, Flat 17, Bella Vista Tower, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, did unlawfully kill your wife, one Zainab Nielsen, 37. That you Peter Nielsen on April 5 did unlawfully kill your daughter, Petra Nielsen, aged three- and-a-half years”

    According to prosecuting counsel, Effiong Asuquo, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), the offences are punishable under Section 223 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

    Asuquo tendered a three-page application, containing 15 grounds for Nielsen’s remand.

    He said: “There is overwhelming forensic evidence linking the defendant to the assault and murder of his wife and daughter. Investigation has also shown that the defendant was habitually violent to his late wife, Zainab.”

    According to Asuquo, a fight broke out between the couple in their flat at about 3am.

    Nielsen was allegedly seen fighting and hitting her head on a wall by his wife’s two relations, Mimi, 11, and Faith, 13 who lived with them, following which she died.

    The prosecutor alleged that Nielsen then poisoned Petra before dragging her body into the kitchen.

    Asuquo said: “He took the lifeless little girl and put her under the mother’s body and then put on gas stove burners in the kitchen so that it will be believed that the wife and daughter were suffocated to death by the cooking gas.

    “The offences which the defendant has committed are capital offences and thus the defendant needs to be remanded in prison custody pending legal advice by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and proper arraignment and trial before the High Court. It is in the national interest that the suspect remains in prison custody pending legal advice and his arraignment and trial.”

    Chief Magistrate Ayeye upheld his prayer.

    She remanded Nielsen and adjourned till May 8, for the DPP’s advice.

    Last year, Zainab, alias Alizee, signed a two-year record deal with an Asian record label, Petra Entertainment.

    The deal reportedly earned the Kogi State native a new Ford explorer SUV, a house on Banana Island and international distribution with affiliates of her record company in Asia.

    In January, she released a single, ‘Alhaji Musa’.

    Nielsen’s counsel, Frank Udoka Amah, told The Nation afterwards that Nielsen “is also a victim in this matter. He has lost a wife and daughter. We are trying to find out exactly what happened and we are cooperating with the Nigeria police in their investigation. We believe that they will look at every angle. It is the job of the police to look at all the angles, to look at the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras. There are a lot of CCTV cameras in Bella Vista where this incident happened. It is their job to look at them and we have every reason to say that what the CCTV cameras are saying is consistent with what our client said.”