13th June, 2018
Akin Kuponiyi
The Lagos State Government on Wednesday arraigned a Dutch national, Peter Nielson, alleged to have murdered his wife and daughter before a Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
Nielson is facing a two-count charge of murder, preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.
The Lagos State Prosecutor who is also the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice , Adeniji Kazeem, told the Court that the defendant committed the offence on April 5, 2018.
The defendant was alleged to have killed his wife Zainab Nielson and his daughter Petra Nielson, at their resident in Banana Island in Eti -Osa local Government of Lagos State, at about 3:45 am, at number 4, flat, 17, at Bella Vista Tower, Banana Island Ikoyi.
The offence alleged to have been committed by the accused Dutch is punishable under Section 223, Cap C17, Vol 3, Criminal law of Lagos State 2015.
However, the 53 year old defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.
The Prosecutor then asked for a trial date in view of the defendant’s plea of not guilty.
The defendant’s counsel, Mr Olasupo Shasore SAN, said he was not opposing the charge but that the defence would like to carry out their own test.
“We are interested in taking the blood sample of the defendant, I thought it will be better to inform this court that his blood sample would be taken for DNA, analysis,” he said.
Consequently Justice Bola Okikiol-Ighile, asked the defendant if he would like to give his consent so that his blood sample could be taken for DNA test.
Nielson said “Yes, I will give my consent for my blood sample to be taken for DNA”.
Shasore, who was the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, also told the court that the result of the autopsy report was out but that they were ready to proceed.
“We are interested in the autopsy report and the prosecution has assured us that we would get it in four weeks, we need to consult some of our experts for analysis of the test as we would need it during trial,” he added.
However, the prosecutor told court that there was an interim autopsy report and that it would be made available to the defence counsel.
Mr Kazeem said “The blood sample of the defendant will be collected by the State Government forensic lab.”
The prosecutor had earlier told the court that the matter for the day was an arraignment of the defendant, and the defence counsel confirmed that they received the proof of evidence on April 30.
Meanwhile, the presiding Judge, Justice Okikiol-Ighile, ordered that the defendant should be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case to October 8 for trial to commence.