He accused me of dating his friend, beat, stripped me naked in public —Wife

Oja Oba/ Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, recently put an end to  the wedlock between a  couple, Monsurat Olateju and Morufu Olateju.

Monsurat had approached the court, pleading that it put a stop to the marriage between her and her husband.

The plaintiff alleged that her husband derived joy in dehumanising her.

Monsurat stated that Morufu was fond of beating and stripping her naked, adding that he attacked her with dangerous objects.

She further explained that her husband abandoned his duties towards her and their children and left them to suffer.

According to her, she borrowed money from a micro finance bank to run a business but that she eventually became indebted to the company, after she spent the capital feeding her children as a result of her husband’s neglect.

She added that Morufu took to trailing and harassing her after she moved out of his house.

Morufu gave his consent to divorce.

The defendant stated that his wife deserted him when their last child was four years old and that she never bothered to check on their children until about eight years after she left.

Morufu added that she tricked him into releasing their children to her.

The defendant prayed the court to grant him custody of their children.

Monsurat in her testimony stated that, “My lord, I constantly had sleepless nights and almost had hypertension while under Morufu’s roof all because he failed to stand up to his responsibilities in our marriage.

“My husband abandoned his duties in the home and cared less about our well-being.

“I approach a finance bank for a loan to run a business so that I could take care of our children, unfortunately, this business crashed because I spent the proceeds from it and later the capital feeding my family.

“I sought for some other things to do as a means of livelihood but I constantly met with a brick wall.

“I later decided to work as a labourer at a site but he started bringing up different allegations against me to soil my name.

“He beat me to a pulp and refused that I enter his house. He requested that I leave his house but refused that I took any of my belongings with me.

“My lord, Morufu almost killed when I went to see our children.

“He descended on me with punches and almost broke my skull.

“Morufu not satisfied threw a knife at me and I bled profusely.

“My lord, he never ceased to trail and harass me since I forcefully took our children from him.

“He has also refused to bear any of the responsibility of their feeding and education.

“My lord, Morufu of recent falsely accused me of dating one of his friends and dealt with me ruthlessly.

“He accosted me at the bus stop, beat me to a pulp and tore my clothes to shreds. My lord, Morufu left me naked.

“I do not want to have anything doing with Morufu. I want him out of my life. I have had enough of his atrocities, ”she said.

Morufu in his response said, “My lord, Monsurat has failed as a mother.

“She deserted me when our last child was four years old. She didn’t set eyes on our children until eight years after she left me.

“Monsurat lied that I was irresponsible. I was up and doing throughout the years we lived together. I never shirked my responsibility for once. I single-handedly took care of them when she deserted me.

“Monsurat left home on the pretext that she was going to work and went after strange men.

“I did all I could to reach her on the phone when she failed to return home after going to work but refused to pick my calls.

“I made a report to her parents who on getting back to me informed me that she stated that she has left me. But they promised to speak to her on my behalf.

“Monsurat years after she left, would come to my house when I was not around to see the children.

“I warned her against this but she refused to desist from doing so.

“My lord, she later came to take our children away from me in a tricky manner.

“I beg this honourable court to grant me custody of our children, ”he concluded.

Ruling, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunde, dissolved their union and granted custody of their children to the plaintiff.

The defendant was mandated to be responsible for their children’s feeding, education and health care.

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