Housemaids say they ‘got hint’ something was
wrong
Zainab Nielsen, and daughter Petra, 3, were slain
execution-style in the wee hours of April 5, at the apartment she
lived in with her husband, at the Bella Vista Tower, Banana Island
in Lekki. The circumstantial evidence found at the posh apartment
is said by sources close to the investigation, as damning.
The main suspect in the murder of Zainab and her daughter is her
husband, a Danish citizen called Peter Nielsen.
The police said that the killings actually occurred around
3:00am in the living room, but that Nielsen, who some neighbours
described as ‘unpredictable’, must have dragged the bodies into the
kitchen, to cover up the crime.
Sources told our reporter that Nielsen came to Nigeria in 2011,
to work for a company called Cagril.
Some sources close to the late Zainab, said that at times
Nielsen could be calm and quiet, while at other times brash and
quick-tempered, shouting at domestic help for any little
mistake.
One source, a neighbourhood’s housemaid, gave insight into what
occurred between the couple a day before the horrific murder, that
Nielsen was heard shouting at his wife and daughter, adding that
the family has been going through tough times.
Some housemaids in the neighbourhood said on the fateful day,
they spotted the Nielsens at the basement of the tower. They also
noticed the husband’s restlessness. So it did not shock them when
Gift Madaki, Zainab’s younger sister, showed up at the office of
the Tower Manager, Mr. Kunle Kukoyi, to say she heard her elder
sister crying throughout the previous night.
However, when the manger got to the apartment, no-one could gain
entry because the entrance was locked from inside. He immediately
notified the police.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chike Oti,
said that police opened up investigation into the matter based on
the complaint lodged by Kukoyi.
Oti said that Kukoyi alleged that he was informed by one Gift
Madaki, 13, who happened to be the deceased’s younger sister, that
she heard her elder sister crying in the early hours of the day.
“The manager said that the girl said her elder sister was being
manhandled by her husband, one Peter Nelson, 53, citizen of
Denmark. Based on the report, the Command mobilized its Crime Scene
Detectives to the location, as well as medics from Britannia
Hospital, Lekki Phase One, to the Nielsens’ home.
“Two bodies, identified as that of Zainab Nielsen and her
3-year-old daughter Petra were found in the kitchen. The doctor and
his team confirmed them dead.
Preliminary investigation conducted at the scene revealed that
the violence started in the couple’s bedroom, but the bodies were
dragged to the kitchen. On closer examination, visible marks of
violence were seen on the bodies. The corpses were photographed and
evacuated to Lagos Island General Hospital for autopsy.”
Letters were sent to the embassy of Denmark intimating it that
Lagos State Police Command is investigating Nielsen for murder.
Meanwhile, the case was on Wednesday charged before Yaba Chief
Magistrate Court. Nielsen was remanded in prison custody.
Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye remanded the 53-year-old Dane,
on a two-count charge of unlawful killing.
Nielsen’s plea was not taken. He was represented by Frank Udoka
Amah. Prosecuting counsel, Effiong Asuquo, tendered a three-page
application, containing 15 grounds for Nielsen’s remand in prison.
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 3:00am on that fateful day. He said Nielsen was
allegedly seen fighting and hitting the deceased’s head on a wall
by her two relations, Mimi, 11, and Faith, 13 who lived with them.
She died from injuries sustained from the assault. 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. It is in the national
interest that the suspect remain in prison pending legal advice and
his arraignment and trial.”
Chief Magistrate Ayeye upheld his prayer, and remanded Nielsen
in prison, adjourning the case till May 8.
Housemaids say they ‘got hint’ something was
wrong
Zainab Nielsen, and daughter Petra, 3, were slain
execution-style in the wee hours of April 5, at the apartment she
lived in with her husband, at the Bella Vista Tower, Banana Island
in Lekki. The circumstantial evidence found at the posh apartment
is said by sources close to the investigation, as damning.
The main suspect in the murder of Zainab and her daughter is her
husband, a Danish citizen called Peter Nielsen.
The police said that the killings actually occurred around
3:00am in the living room, but that Nielsen, who some neighbours
described as ‘unpredictable’, must have dragged the bodies into the
kitchen, to cover up the crime.
Sources told our reporter that Nielsen came to Nigeria in 2011,
to work for a company called Cagril.
Some sources close to the late Zainab, said that at times
Nielsen could be calm and quiet, while at other times brash and
quick-tempered, shouting at domestic help for any little
mistake.
One source, a neighbourhood’s housemaid, gave insight into what
occurred between the couple a day before the horrific murder, that
Nielsen was heard shouting at his wife and daughter, adding that
the family has been going through tough times.
Some housemaids in the neighbourhood said on the fateful day,
they spotted the Nielsens at the basement of the tower. They also
noticed the husband’s restlessness. So it did not shock them when
Gift Madaki, Zainab’s younger sister, showed up at the office of
the Tower Manager, Mr. Kunle Kukoyi, to say she heard her elder
sister crying throughout the previous night.
However, when the manger got to the apartment, no-one could gain
entry because the entrance was locked from inside. He immediately
notified the police.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chike Oti,
said that police opened up investigation into the matter based on
the complaint lodged by Kukoyi.
Oti said that Kukoyi alleged that he was informed by one Gift
Madaki, 13, who happened to be the deceased’s younger sister, that
she heard her elder sister crying in the early hours of the day.
“The manager said that the girl said her elder sister was being
manhandled by her husband, one Peter Nelson, 53, citizen of
Denmark. Based on the report, the Command mobilized its Crime Scene
Detectives to the location, as well as medics from Britannia
Hospital, Lekki Phase One, to the Nielsens’ home.
“Two bodies, identified as that of Zainab Nielsen and her
3-year-old daughter Petra were found in the kitchen. The doctor and
his team confirmed them dead.
Preliminary investigation conducted at the scene revealed that
the violence started in the couple’s bedroom, but the bodies were
dragged to the kitchen. On closer examination, visible marks of
violence were seen on the bodies. The corpses were photographed and
evacuated to Lagos Island General Hospital for autopsy.”
Letters were sent to the embassy of Denmark intimating it that
Lagos State Police Command is investigating Nielsen for murder.
Meanwhile, the case was on Wednesday charged before Yaba Chief
Magistrate Court. Nielsen was remanded in prison custody.
Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye remanded the 53-year-old Dane,
on a two-count charge of unlawful killing.
Nielsen’s plea was not taken. He was represented by Frank Udoka
Amah. Prosecuting counsel, Effiong Asuquo, tendered a three-page
application, containing 15 grounds for Nielsen’s remand in prison.
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 3:00am on that fateful day. He said Nielsen was
allegedly seen fighting and hitting the deceased’s head on a wall
by her two relations, Mimi, 11, and Faith, 13 who lived with them.
She died from injuries sustained from the assault. 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. It is in the national
interest that the suspect remain in prison pending legal advice and
his arraignment and trial.”
Chief Magistrate Ayeye upheld his prayer, and remanded Nielsen
in prison, adjourning the case till May 8.