'I never witnessed any violence between my madam and the husband' says housekeeper

After some weeks of court appearances and human rights group protest, the accused Peter Nielsen Schau was assigned a date to stand trial for two counts of murder following the deaths of his wife and daughter, Petra at their Banana Island residence in Ikoyi.

The deceased reportedly died on Thursday, April 5, 2018.

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At the Igbosere High Court where Evelyn Gimba testified as a witness in the murder trial, she could not confirm any problem between her bosses until the day of the deaths. Her court statement was captured in a report published by Vanguard News on Wednesday, October 10, 2018.

”I never witnessed any violence between my madam (deceased) and the husband (defendant).

“They were always happy and I never saw Peter (defendant) in a drunken state.

“I tried to open the door leading to the kitchen but it didn’t open so I went down stairs to the parlour.

“I called one of the children’s number but it was switched off. I knocked at the door several times before it was opened for me.

“I then asked the girl that opened the door what type of sleep she was still sleeping up to that time.

“The girl then told me that my madam and her husband were fighting the previous night. I saw little bruises on the defendant’s forehead and hand when he came out from his room," Gimba says in the report by Vanguard.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) confirms that the housekeeper gave her statement in Hausa.

According to NAN her boss Schau made efforts to revive Alizee when he found her on a kitchen floor.

Gimba was presented to the court by prosecutor Mr. Adeniji Kazeem (SAN), of the State Attorney General's office. NAN confirms this in a report.

The witness account was met with reproach by defence counsel, Mr. Olasupo Shasore who appealed to the Igbosere High Court "to quash the objection made by the prosecutor preventing the defence from asking a witness questions from her statement previously made at the police station."

Justice Mobolanle Okikiolu-Ighile who presided over the case has reportedly set a next arraignment in motion.

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Issues prior to the trial

After a few court appearances a date was set for Peter Nielsen Schau to stand trial for the deaths of his wife and daughter Petra on Monday, October 8, 2018.

While he was waiting this day at the Ikoyi Prisons, Alizee's family alleged preferential treatment for the accused who is thought to enjoying privileges not accessible to other prisoners.

Alizee's dad Chris Madaki noted this to Pulse while speaking at a press conference in May.

"Another thing I witnessed in the chamber today. Like Mr. Peter (Peter Nielsen Schau) was so neat like he is not someone that came out from the prison.

"They treat him like a VIP. A Nigerian man that came with him, also a murder case - they handcuffed that guy but Peter is not handcuffed. Nothing!

"They just brought him like that. And he came with a bottle of water, everything inside his bag.

"What are we showing to the world? Are we showing to the world that we (Nigeria judicial system) are not capable to handle a murder case in this way?

"Why? We need justice for our daughter. Justice must be done - that is what I want," says Mr. Madaki at the press conference held in front of a courthouse at the Chief Magistrate's Court, Yaba.

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Perhaps for the fear of not getting justice, the loved ones of the deceased felt the trial date could have come earlier. Dr. Joe Okei Odumakin who was also at the conference seemed to share the sentiment calling for a speedy trial until one eventually came.