‘My husband almost raped his step daughter; stole, spent my N9,500 on lottery’

A woman, Ayobami Ogunleye has approached Oja Oba/ Mapo, Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking that it dissolves her 15-year-old wedlock to her husband, Olaniyi Ogunleye.

Ayobami, in her divorce suit, accused her husband of being troublesome, stealing and spending her money on lottery and abusing her daughter sexually.

She, as a result, prayed the court to terminate their relationship and grant her custody of their three children.

Olaniyi  acceded  to divorce but refuted all his wife had said.

“My lord, I’m tired of my husband’s atrocities. He acts like a nuisance and lives a shameful lifestyle, “the plaintiff told the court.

“He is never tired of beating me. He finds fault in all that I do and will descend on me with heavy blows.

“I told him while we were courting that I already had a child by another man.  He told me he didn’t mind and went on to propose to me.

“One of the conditions I gave before agreeing to his proposal was that my daughter will live with us and that he would take care of her like his own and he agreed.

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“But my lord, he reneged on his promise. He neglected my daughter and was never interested in her welfare. This automatically made her recoil into her shell. She became reserved and was always displaying inferiority complex. Despite these, my husband never stopped harassing and bringing up allegations against her.

“My lord, I learnt very late that my husband had been abusing my daughter sexually and almost raped her. I was forced to return my daughter to his father before he raped and impregnated her, “she stated.

Ayobami went on:”He cares less about my welfare and that of our children and passed his responsibility in the home to me.

“I bought him a motorcycle for commercial purpose so that he could be alive to his duty as breadwinner but all my efforts proved futile.

“My lord, he stole my N9, 500 and used it to play lottery. He cut me with a cutlass when I asked for a refund and I bled heavily. I reported him at the police station and was advised to come to court since it’s a marital issue.

“He has since been threatening to take my life after being served a court summon.

“My lord, I appeal to the court to separate us, hand over our children to me and make him responsible for their welfare, “she stated.

“I’m also through with her, ”Olaniyi told the court.

She’s a liar. She lied that I molested her daughter sexually. Her daughter is promiscuous and had slept with almost every male in our compound.

“I rebuked her when the news of her immoral act got to me, but my wife was displeased with this and fought me.

“My lord, the N9, 500 she mentioned was mine and I spent it on that which pleased me.

“I was surprised she has the guts to report me to the police. I chased her out of the house around 11:00p.m  on that fateful day and  would have taught her a lesson she would never forget if our neighbours didn’t come to her aid, “he concluded.

After he had listened to the duo, the court president, Chief Ademola Odunade observed that there was no love between them.

Ruling, he dissolved their union and granted the plaintiff custody of their three children.

Odunade mandated the defendant to be responsible for their children’s upkeep. In line with this, he was ordered to pay the sum of N30, 000 per month through the court as their children’s feeding allowance and be responsible for their education and health service.