Court dissolves 3-year-old marriage over irreconcilable differences

An Ekiti Customary court sitting in Ikole-Ekiti on Thursday dissolved a three-year-old marriage between a thrift collector, Ramatu Ismaila and her husband, Jiji.

Delivering Judgment, the President of the court, Mrs Yemisi Ojo dissolved the marriage on the grounds of lack of care for the petitioner and her child and lack of trust between the couple.

“After efforts made by the court to ensure amicable reconciliation between the parties proved abortive, the court hereby, order both parties to go their separate ways,” she held.

The court president ordered Ismaila to refund N15,000 to Jiji, being the bride price he paid at the time of their marriage.

She ordered Ismaila to complete the waiting period known as idda for at least 40 days, as required under the dissolution of Islamic marriage before the divorce can be finalised.

Ojo ruled that the three-year-old baby would remain in the custody of Ismaila, saying it will be in his best interest.

The court president ordered the respondent to be responsible for the payment of the school fees of the child.

Earlier, Ismaila, in her evidence told the court that she married the respondent according to Islamic rites on Aug. 23, 2019.

Ismaila said she sought dissolution of her marriage to the respondent because of threat to her life.

She told the court that the respondent always suspected her of cheating on him and whenever he did that, he would beat her.

In his defence, Jiji, a farmer told the court that the petitioner was his second wife.

The respondent denied all the allegations levelled against him by the petitioner, saying: “I only beat her once since I married her”.

”I can only afford N2,000 for the monthly upkeep of my child,” he pleaded.