The police have arraigned a 35-year-old man, Simeon
Ekwuruke, before a Lagos State Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly
neglecting his 17-year-old ‘wife’ and denying her the necessities of life.
Ekwuruke, before a Lagos State Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly
neglecting his 17-year-old ‘wife’ and denying her the necessities of life.
It was learnt that Ekwuruke and his wife (name withheld)
were not legally married though she was living with him and they had been
dating since she was in Junior Secondary School 2.
were not legally married though she was living with him and they had been
dating since she was in Junior Secondary School 2.
The teenager was said to have become pregnant when she was
13 years old, before she started living with Ekwuruke.
13 years old, before she started living with Ekwuruke.
Within the space of four years, the couple were said to have
had three children while living in their apartment on Ladafe Dada Street,
Ikate, Surulere, Lagos.
had three children while living in their apartment on Ladafe Dada Street,
Ikate, Surulere, Lagos.
The lady became pregnant with her fourth child, when
Ekwuruke allegedly assaulted her, claiming he was not the father of the
children.
Ekwuruke allegedly assaulted her, claiming he was not the father of the
children.
The police said the victim alleged that Ekwuruke had also
not fed her for the past two months.
not fed her for the past two months.
He was consequently arrested and arraigned at the Chief
Magistrate’s Court sitting at Ebute Meta, on one count of failure to provide
for his household.
Magistrate’s Court sitting at Ebute Meta, on one count of failure to provide
for his household.
The charge read, “That you, Simeon Ekwuruke, between the
month of September and October, 2014 at Ladafe Dada Street, Ikate Surulere,
Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, being charged with the duty of
providing for (daughter), aged one and half years, and (wife), aged 17 years,
the necessities of life, did unlawfully fail to do so, whereby their lives and
health are likely to be endangered and thereby committed an offence.”
month of September and October, 2014 at Ladafe Dada Street, Ikate Surulere,
Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, being charged with the duty of
providing for (daughter), aged one and half years, and (wife), aged 17 years,
the necessities of life, did unlawfully fail to do so, whereby their lives and
health are likely to be endangered and thereby committed an offence.”
The police prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus Osuji, said the
offence was punishable under Section 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State,
Nigeria, 2011.
offence was punishable under Section 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State,
Nigeria, 2011.
The section prescribes two years imprisonment for the
offence.
offence.
Ekwuruke pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Demi Ajayi, said the case should
be brought into her chamber because it was a family matter.
be brought into her chamber because it was a family matter.
At the end of the private deliberation, the defendant was granted
bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.
bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.
The chief magistrate also ordered that Ekwuruke, his ‘wife’,
and the three children should go for a DNA test, to ascertain the paternity of
the children.
and the three children should go for a DNA test, to ascertain the paternity of
the children.
The parties were told to maintain the status quo, while the
case was adjourned till December 3, 2014.
case was adjourned till December 3, 2014.
Source: Punch
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