By Toluwai Olamitoke
Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State has ruled over a divorce suit brought before it by a woman, Mariam Wasiu, against her husband, Ibrahim Wasiu, on the grounds of irresponsibility and domestic violence.
Mariam said that Ibrahim who was initially loving and caring suddenly changed towards her and their children.
According to the plaintiff, the defendant consistently let her and their children and took to beating her.
Mariam explained that Ibrahim would beat and refuse to release her go until he saw blood flowing as a result of injuries inflicted on her.
She stated that her husband swore he would not stop beating her until he killed her.
Mariam thus pleaded with the court to stop her relationship with her husband before he carried out his threat.
She also begged that he should be restrained from harassing and interfering with her private life.
The plaintiff further pleaded for custody of two out of their four children and entreated the court to make him responsible for their upkeep, education and health care.
Mariam in her evidence said, “I met my husband when learning a trade and we started dating.
“He impregnated me after we had dated for months and we started living together in his apartment as husband and wife.
“We did not hold the normal traditional marital rites neither did he pay my bride price.
“I enjoyed a few years of marital bliss before my husband started misbehaving.
“Ibrahim suddenly changed from a loving and dutiful husband to a terror.
“He became rash in his ways and always sought every opportunity to beat me.
“My husband would descend on me with heavy blows any time we had a misunderstanding and would refuse to stop even when nieghbours mediated in our differences.
“Ibrahim would not stop beating me until he saw blood flowing from me.
“The scars all over my body bear witness to his maltreatment of me.
“My lord, my husband has threatened not to stop beating me until he kills me which was one of the reasons I came to court.
“Ibrahim also starved me and our children on daily basis.
“He hardly gave us money for food and was indifferent to our children’s education and general welfare.
“My husband is not bothered that our children look malnourished and has refused to give them the necessary attention.
“My lord, I will fare better living without my husband. I want to move on with my life.
“I pray for divorce and custody of two of our children, that is the younger ones.
“I beg the court to make him responsible for the upkeep of all our children, giving more attention to their feeding, education and health care.
“I also want the court to restrain him from coming to my home or work place to threaten or interfere with my private life.”
Ibrahim was absent in court despite being served court summonses.
Giving judgment, the court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved because no marriage ceremony held between the plaintiff and the defendant.
She, in addition, said no bride price was paid on behalf of the plaintiff.
Akintayo put the first two children produced by the couple in the defendant’s custody, while the younger two were handed over to the plaintiff.
She mandated the defendant to be responsible for the feeding and education of their four children.
Akintayo further instructed Ibrahim to allow Mariam pack her belongings from his house and also restrained him from threatening and interfering with her private life.
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