Man, 38, docked for allegedly assaulting wife

A 38-year-old man, Celestine Mbanefo, who allegedly beat-up his wife, was on Wednesday arraigned in an Ikeja Senior Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

Mbanefo, who resides at No.9, Olawale Adegboyega St., Onipetesi Estate, Mangoro, Ikeja,Lagos, is facing a charge of assault.

Mbanefo, however, denied committing the offence, while Senior Magistrate Y.R Pinheiro, granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000, with one surety in like sum.

Pinheiro adjourned the case till June 8 for mention.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Mathew Akhaluode, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 14 at his residence.

Akhaluode said that the accused assaulted one Perpetual Mbanefo by beating her to a pulp.

“ Perpetual said when she went home that fateful day, she noticed that her husband was pacing forth and back, so she decided to ask him what was wrong.

“She said to her amazement, the accused started shouting at her and demanded for the car key.

“Perpetual told him she would give him the key the following day after she had packed out all her documents from the car.

“The complainant said her husband, however, took the spare key and packed out all her documents and hid them.

“When she requested for her documents, he pounced on her and beat her thoroughly, “ he said.

Akhaluode said the offence contravened Section 172 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 172 prescribes a three-year jail term for offenders.