Wife drags alleged rapist to court, seeks divorce

A housewife, Fatima Ishaq, on Wednesday in Kaduna dragged her husband, Hassan Haruna, before a Sharia Court in Kaduna, over his being accused of raping a minor.

The petitioner who lives with her estranged husband within Kaduna metropolis, through her counsel, M.S. Abdullahi, told the court that she cannot continue living with Mr Haruna.

Mr Abdullahi said that his client could no longer guarantee her respect for Mr Haruna.

He told the court that his client was willing to pay back the N5,000 her husband paid as bride price in 2006.

The petitioner is seeking the custody of their four children and N20,000 monthly for their upkeep.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the respondent was brought to the court in shackles for allegedly raping a minor.

Mr Haruna, however, denied the charge of rape against him.

“If it is because of the rape issue you want to leave me, I can swear with the Holy Quran that I am innocent even though I will oblige your divorce request,” he said.

The judge, Dahiru Lawal, terminated the marriage and ordered the petitioner to return N15,000 to Mr Haruna as the bride price he paid.

“The value of money in 2006 is not the same in the current situation,” Mr Lawal said.

(NAN)