Court forecloses statutory rights of estranged housewife to cross-examine husband

A Customary Court in Nyanya, Abuja, on Monday foreclosed the rights of an estranged  housewife, Chioma Odinaka,  to cross-examine her husband in a divorce case, over her failure to appear.

The Judge, Shitta Mohammed, in his ruling, held”since the respondent was not present in court and did not send any message, explaining why she would not be in court, her statutory rights is hereby foreclosed’.

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“In view of this circumstance, the matter is hereby adjourned untill Feb. 13, for defence,” he said.

Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel, A.Y. Jibril, had urged the court  to foreclose the statutory rights of the respondent,to cross-examine his client, Ekene.

” The respondent was served with hearing notices but she is not in court. We shall be praying this honourable court to foreclose the statutory rights of the respondent in this matter.

“We shall be asking that we move on to defence in this matter that is my humble application.

Jibril further  told the court that the respondent had moved from Abuja.

Ekene, a public servant, dragged his wife Chioma to court, seeking dissolution of his marriage, on grounds that he has not had a single day of peace in seven years.

“I am exhausted in this marriage. Since I married my wife, I have not known peace.

”She is always fighting me. The worst of it all is that she pours water on me to disturb my sleep.

”She goes around castigating me. She tells everyone who cares to listen to her that I am a bad man.

”This has greatly tarnished my image, ” he alleged.

(NAN)