Court dissolves marriage over child’s doubtful paternity

A Customary Court sitting in Igando Lagos State has dissolved the marriage between a couple, Jose Salami and Sola Jaiyeola on grounds of doubtful paternity of their only child.

Penpushing reports that, the husband in a petition had told the court that he was in doubt over the paternity of the only child produced by the marriage, adding that his wife put to bed few months after their wedding, when there was no sexual intercourse within the said period

The disturbed husband, a resident of number 9, Bakare St., Igando, Lagos State, further explained that in March 2013, the wife said she was a month pregnant for him, and he thereafter arranged for traditional wedding to be done, stressing that to his surprise, the wife put to bed July same year

“In March 2013, she said she was a month pregnant for me; so, I arranged for a traditional marriage to be done. But to my surprise, my wife put to bed in July of that same year, and when I asked how possible it was, she waived it aside’, the man told the court.

“The paternity of the child became worrisome and I summoned her parents to intervene and ask her how possible it is to give birth within five months. Also, when the matter happened, she stopped cooking for me, and I was eating out, thinking she would change, but nothing happened,” he added.

Penpushing further reports  that Salami told the court that following the ugly development every form of sexual interaction stopped between the two of them, and communication also seized.

“Communication also seized, if she wanted to tell me anything, she would write it on paper and put it on a table for me to see. In year 2016, I came home and found out she had moved out with our only daughter, and all efforts to make her come back proved abortive. She switched off her phones and blocked all communications with me,” he said.

The petitioner said the wife later, told him to move on with his life as she was no longer interested in the marriage, and the husband, therefore urged the court to dissolve the marriage, saying that he was approaching 50 years of age and needed to move on.

Penpushing also reports that, the President of the court, Adeniyi Koledoye,in his judgement said that it appeared the love between the couple had since perished, noting that the respondent did not show up in court in several summons.

“There is no doubt that the respondent was in another relationship from which she was pregnant, and perhaps the pregnancy was rejected and she decided to hang it on the petitioner. However, the petitioner ought to have opted out of the marriage immediately he discovered that the paternity of the child was doubtful. It is clear the petitioner was deceived into the marriage by the respondent,” he held.

Penpushing reports that, the President of the Court therefore dissolved the marriage and ordered the respondent to pay N200, 000 to the petitioner.

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