Woman tells court: My hubby is a thief, serial pickpocket

A housewife, Mary, who is seeking a divorce from her husband, an Ibadan-based businessman, Mr Ibrahim Gbadamosi, has told an Ibadan Customary Court, that the man is a criminal and a serial pickpocket.

The woman, who said she was fooled into marrying him 20 years ago, stressed that she didn’t know he was a common criminal.

She said:  “My husband is a criminal, a serial pickpocket. I did not know I am married to a thief. Neither Ibrahim nor his friends told me that he was a criminal until he was jailed at Ile-Oluji in Ondo State. There was a time I sold some of my property to secure his bail until I got to know that he was a serial pickpocket. My Lord, Ibrahim is yet to pay my bride price.”

Gbadamosi, who approached the Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan seeking the dissolution of the union, accused Mary of infidelity.

Mary added: “My husband is a thief and not a businessman as he claimed. My Lord, although, I have agreed to part ways with Ibrahim, I must reveal some `hidden truths’ about this man that calls himself a businessman. I never knew what he was doing for a very long time and I became very uncomfortable with his lifestyle. All I knew was that security operatives used to come and arrest him, and his friends used to run from one place to another to gather money for his release.”

The estranged wife, who said she would not object to the request of her husband for the dissolution of the marriage, described it as good riddance to bad rubbish.

“He doesn’t worth it; let him go,” Mary said.

Earlier, Gbadamosi, who resides at Soka area of Ibadan, told the court that his wife let him down in his time of “trouble and persecution.”

He regretted that his wife’s situation degenerated to the extent of her becoming a prostitute.

Gbadamosi said: “This hit me like a big stick. I can confirm to this honourable court that our landlord’s younger brother impregnated her and had been sleeping with her ever since. Moreover, Mary usually attacks me with the intention of inflicting bodily injuries on me, or even terminating my life. As if that was not enough, Mary and our first child conspired to kidnap my child, whom my second wife had for me. The matter was reported at the police station where they were both made to sign an undertaking never to involve in kidnapping again.”

Gbadamosi, who said he was incarcerated for 16 months for importing contraband, alleged that Mary did not visit his shop, thereby allowing all the goods to rust.

He added: “Please, this honourable court should allow her daughter to be with her. I am ready to give her anything she wants on a monthly basis to cater for her.”

The President of the court, Mr Ademola Odunade, while adjourning the case to Nov. 28, asked the couple to continue to be of good behaviour.