An ex-convict, Ojo Adewole, has told a Customary Court sitting in Ikole-Ekiti, Ekiti state that he was recently jailed for rape because his wife denied him sex.
He said this on Wednesday while testifying in a divorce petition filed by his wife.
“Your honour, my wife had always starved me of sex. Instead of taking care of me and the house, she went about partying and making friends.
“My wife is simply wayward and the family had always supported her deeds. Your honour, I may not have the moral justification to ask for the preservation of the marriage, but I am praying the court to reduce my monthly financial obligation to my children to N5,000,’’ he pleaded.
He continued: “My prayer for the slashing of the upkeep money hinges on the fact that I have just been released from detention and I do not have any tangible source of livelihood at the moment.’’
Omotayo Adewole, 35, had told the court that Adewole had been “sexually unruly’’, and had used most of their belongings to gamble.
“Your honour, my husband is so addicted to gambling to the extent of using my three cell phones, cooking stove and other house utensils to gamble.
“His habitual drunkenness made him to beat me so often. He is not also responsible for the upkeep of our five children as he evades paying their school fees. Your honour, I am tired of the marriage and I want it dissolved forthwith.
The father of my children does not have respect for my family members even though all of us stood by him when he was involved in a rape case,” the wife told the court.
She also sought the custody of all the children and prayed the court to compel her husband to make certain reasonable amount of money available to her for the kids’ upkeep on a monthly basis.
In her ruling, the President of the court, Mrs Yemisi Ojo, dissolved the 15-year-old marriage for promiscuity and gambling.
“In the light of the evidence before the court it is clear that the respondent’s lifestyle had put off the feelings the petitioner initially had for him.
“It is appropriate in the circumstance for parties to be allowed to go their separate ways. I, therefore, order that the custody of the children from the union would remain with the petitioner.
The respondent is ordered to give his ex-wife the sum of N10, 000 monthly for the upkeep of the children,” she ordered.
