He impregnated me, took my baby from me —Wife

• She’s mentally ill —Husband

A woman, Tawakalitu Mohammed has appealed to the Mapo Grade ‘C’ Customary Court, in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area of Oyo State, to dissolve the three-year-old marriage between her and her husband, Sulaiman Mohammed on allegation that Sulaiman took their eight-month-old baby away from her.

Tawakalitu, who lives at Monatan, Ibadan, Oyo State capital, told the court that Sulaiman married her three years ago as a virgin, adding that their marriage was blessed with a child.

She added that when she got married to Sulaiman, she was hale and hearty, but later discovered that her behaviour was no longer normal.

“My husband is a traditionalist; He took my eight-month-old baby to an unknown place and I have been mentally disturbed since then.

“He must have done something to me through diabolic means. I was not sick when I married him, but now I’m not well.

“After Sulaiman took our baby away, he chained me down. I don’t know why he treats me this way,” Tawakalitu said.

She, therefore, pleaded with the court to rule that Sulaiman return their baby to her.

Reacting to Tawakalitu allegations, Sulaiman told the court that he is a traditionalist, adding that Tawakalitu was mentally unbalanced and was brought to him for treatment.

Sulaiman, who resides at Olodo area of Ibadan, added that due to Tawakalitu’s condition, she was chained down to allow for proper treatment.

He added that after he had cured Tawakalitu of her ailment, he impregnated her, claiming that he had earlier told her family members that he would like to marry her after she was well.

“Tawakalitu was mentally ill and needed to be chained down for proper treatment.

“I’m a native doctor and she was brought to me as a patient. I told her people that I would marry her if I could cure her and they agreed.

“Unfortunately, occasionally, she still displays this sickness and that’s why I took the baby from her so as to prevent him (baby) from being hurt.

“I gave the child to my mother who is now taking care of him,’’ Sulaiman told the court.

Sulaiman further told the court that Tawakalitu had earlier taken him to a Sharia Court where she declared that she was no longer interested in their marriage.

“I made this known to her family. I don’t know where she lives after she packed out of my house.”

Speaking on the matter, a member of the court jury, Mr Ademola Odunade, stated that taking an eight-month-old baby away from the mother was a crime against God and humanity.

He added that it was child abuse for Sulaiman to have denied the baby access to his mother under any disguise.

“You are lucky that other parties concerned in the matter have prayed the court to temper justice with mercy.

“The case has already gone beyond marriage dissolution and has now attained a criminal nature,” Okunade said.

The court president, Elder Ezekiel Ogundipe dissolved the three-year-old marriage and ordered that Sulaiman should pay a monthly feeding allowance of N5,000 for the upkeep of the child.

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He impregnated me, took my baby from me —Wife