My husband called me a witch, threatened to pour acid on me —Wife

A woman, Susan Udeze has approached the Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, seeking that it dissolve her 15-year-old marriage to her husband, Arinze Udeze on the grounds of irresponsibility, neglect, battery and threat to her life.

Susan stated that Arinze apart from being irresponsible, was in the habit of fighting, cursing and calling her unprintable names.

According to the plaintiff, the defendant always called her a witch.

Susan also said that her husband humiliated her before her family members when he refused to contribute a dime towards her mother’s burial.

She added that he sometimes chased her out of the house at night and of recent started threatening to pour acid on her.

The plaintiff stated that she was tired of her husband’s atrocities and entreated the court to dissolve their union and grant her custody of their children.

She also prayed the court to restrain him from threatening her.

Arinze was present in court only on the first day the case was opened and he agreed to the dissolution of their marriage, but opposed the request that his wife had custody of their children.

Susan explained that, “My husband and I had introduction and traditional wedding in 2008 and he paid N7,500 as my bride price.

“My husband started acting funny shortly after we got married. According to him, he always saw strange and scary things in our home which I did not see.

“He accused me of witchcraft and always fought me. He never ceased to rain curses on me.

“Arinze is irresponsible. He denied me and our children the necessary needs and made us to languish in poverty.

“My husband disgraced me in the presence of my family members when he bluntly refused to contribute towards my mother’s burial.

“I moved out of his house because he did not desist from making my life miserable, but had to return to nurse back to health our son who was so ill that he could not walk.

“My husband still didn’t stop beating me. He went as far as chasing me out of the house in the night after descending on me with punches.

“Arinze became more irrational in his behaviour and started threatening to pour acid on me.

“I had to report him at the police station so as to hinder him from making real his threat.

“My lord, I finally left his house since it was obvious he was not ready to change.”

Cross examination and defense was foreclosed due to the defendant’s absence in court during further hearing on the case.

Giving judgment, the court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo stated that going by the evidence given, it was obvious that both parties were no longer interested in their union, since they could not live peacefully together.

The defendant, she stated, pleaded liable to the dissolution of their marriage, hence the need for the dissolution.

Akintayo declared that both ceased to be husband and wife.

She granted the plaintiff custody of their children and ordered that the defendant should not be hindered from seeing their children.

She further restrained the defendant from threatening the plaintiff.

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