By Ojomah Austin.
A High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital has dissolved an eight-year-old marriage after a woman refused to make love with her husband for about four years.
The petitioner in the suit marked HAB/7D/2021, Egbunam Friday dragged his wife, Egbunam Ann to court for starving him of sex and disrespecting him.
The man further accused his wife of threatening his life, disrespectfulness, nagging, being wasteful, quarrelsome, insulting, breaking into his room, ransacking and removing his belongings most times and gave some out without his consent among other allegations.
Friday explained that Ann starved him of sexual intercourse for about four years, adding that “Since December 2020, my wife has denied me my conjugal right.”
Swiftly reacting, the wife informed the court that since the year 2020, Friday has refused to cater for her needs and those of their two children.
The petitioner asked court for four reliefs which includes dissolution of the marriage between him and his wife on grounds that the marriage has broken-down irretrievably.
Other prayers of Friday included an order of court granting custody of the two children in the marriage to the petitioner, an order preventing the respondent from taking the children outside Ebonyi State without due notice and written consent of the petitioner as well as an order directing the respondent to stop using the surname of the petitioner, and for Ann to revert to her maiden name or any other name she prefers.
The woman, who had no legal representation during the matter, denied all the accusations and rather accused the husband of committing adultery persistently with different women.
She told the court how she found used condoms in Friday’s pocket repeatedly, adding that he excuses himself to answer suspicious phone calls most times at home.
Ann insisted that the petitioner started denying her and their two children aged 6 and 4 years old basic necessities of life from the year 2020.
Delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Chima Iheanacho of Abakaliki High Court, annulled the union and ordered the petitioner to pay the sum of N50,000 monthly to the respondent for the children’s welfare until they are 18 years of age as well as pay their school fees up to University level among other orders.
“Accordingly, in granting the reliefs sought by the petitioner though in part, this court hereby makes the following orders: That upon and subject to the decree of this court becoming absolute, the marriage between the petitioner and respondent at the Abakaliki Marriage Registry on 10th day of October 2016 is hereby dissolved.
“That the respondent shall have custody of the two children until they attain the age of 18. That the petitioner shall pay all the school fees of the two children of the dissolved marriage up to University level.
“That the petitioner shall pay the sum of (N50, 000.00) fifty thousand naira monthly to the respondent for the welfare and upkeep of the children until they attain 18 years of age.
“That the petitioner shall have unimpeded access to the children and if the respondent decides to relocate outside Ebonyi State, the petitioner shall take over custody of the two children,” Justice Iheanacho ordered.