Categories: News

Court Ends 38-Year-Old Marriage, Orders Husband To Leave Home

A 38-year-old marriage between a trader, Justina Bassey and her estranged husband, Evans, has been dissolved by Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan.

The dissolution of the marriage is sequel to allegations of of financial exploitation and threat to life level against Evans.

Delivering judgment, the court’s President, Ademola Odunade, averred that dissolution of the marriage became imperative following the realisation by Justina that her deadbeat husband was manipulatimg and exploiting her.

Odunlade said evil could not strive forever, hence dissolved the marriage and ordered the husband to leave the matrimonial home immediately in order for peace to reign.

He granted custody of the last child, an underage, to the wife and directed the remaining three adult children to choose who they want to abide with and related with between their parents.

The court also compelled Bassey to pay N5,000 as the child’s monthly feeding allowance, in addition to being responsible for her education and other welfare.

Earlier, Justina, who lived in the Akinbile-Ojo area of Ibadan, said that she resolved to discontinue the marriage because her husband was always exploiting her.

She disclosed that he also resorted to use of voodoo to achieve his nefarious objectives against her, adding that he beat her and didn’t play any fatherly role to his children.

“Everyday and night, Bassey forces my hard-earned money out of me, and I have no option to reject his overtures.

“He has repeated this over and over, and he has impoverished me.

“Bassey usually invites his friend, who is a witch doctor, to come and carry out his magic anytime he wants to be mischievous in the house.

“More importantly my lord, Bassey has recently repeated that he would soon kill me if I refuse to grant his financial request.

“As old as I am, he still beats me and doesn’t even perform any form of responsibility on any of the children.

“Worst still, Bassey is trying to claim my house,” she said.

She tendered all the documents as exhibits against her husband.

Bassey, however, opposed the suit and denied all the allegations leveled against him, including the ownership of the house.

The defendant, who earns his living as a commercial motorcyclist, however, said that he and his wife usually engage in physical combats.

“I don’t want to part ways with Justina, but if she is bent on separation, she has to go back to our village in the East, to terminate the union,” he said.

The defendant later tendered some documents in respect of the ownership of the building, which the court found to be faked.

(NAN)