An Igando Customary Court in Lagos has dissolved the 29-year- old marriage of a 60-year-old trader, Femi Olatunde, who accused his wife of witchcraft.
The court’s President, Adeniyi Koledoye, declared that it was proper for both parties to go their separate ways since they were tired of being husband and wife.
Mr Koledoye held that the court’s decision was in the best interest of the parties as all efforts to reconcile them had failed, leaving the court with no other choice.
“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Mr Femi Olatunde and Mrs Yemi Olatunde dissolved today.
“Both of you henceforth cease to be husband and wife.
“Each of you should go his or her separate way unmolested; the court wishes both of you well in your future endeavours.”
He held that Mr Olatunde would be responsible for the children’s education and general welfare.
Mr Olatunde had earlier told the court that his wife was a witch.
He said: “My wife entered the world of darkness in order to destroy my life.
“She attacked me severally in my dreams which resulted to sicknesses in the physical world.
“My money always gets missing but the most painful was when my wife colluded with my son to duplicate the key of my room and stole N250, 000 a client gave me to do a job.
“My son, who later admitted stealing the money, could not give account of it,” he said.
“There was a day I finished eating and immediately started experiencing stomach pain.
“I rushed to the Church and was given some antidote and anointing oil which made me to vomit the poison.
“Whenever we have misunderstanding, she invites hoodlums to the house to attack me. She has done that on seven occasions,” he added.
According to the respondent, her husband was irresponsible, claiming that he was starving the family and had always refused to pay the children’s school fees.
“I entered his room one day and saw a dead fowl with candles surrounding it. I have been sick and it reached a stage that I once lost my senses.”
According to her, Mr Olatunde sleeps in a hotel with different women.
“He eventually married one of them,” she told the court.
