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…dissolves 19-yr-old marriage, grants husband custody of the children..
ASABA— A Delta State High Court, Kwale, has dissolved a 19-year old marriage of a Lagos businessman, Mr Fiddis Ogwugwa, on the ground that his wife, Charity, engaged in amorous affairs with the former Executive Director of Law Union and Rock Insurance Company, Mr Olusegun Ilori.
The court in its judgment also ordered Ilori and Charity, to jointly pay N500,000 damages for the trauma and trespass, they caused Mr Ogwugwa and particularly for the irresponsible acts of Ilori in ruining the matrimonial home of Mr Ogwugwa.
Olusegun Ilori was at the time of filing the divorce petition Executive Director of Law Union, while Charity was Project Manager.
The devorce petition was initially filed before a Lagos State High Court, before it was re-filed before a Delta State High Court, Kwale, when the petition was struck out by Justice Dawodu Williams of Lagos High Court.
According to Mr Ogwugwa, he was lawfully married to his wife, Charity, on November 25, 1994 according to the marriage act. The marriage produced two children, a boy and a girl.
He stated that what led to the collapse of the marriage started sometime in the year 2003, when his wife, excusing herself to receiving phone calls at odd hours of the day therefore, the petitioner became suspicious.
He added that between December 2003 and February 2004, he petitioner found an amorous text from Segun Ilori to his wife, he then called both of them and cautioned them about the misconduct to which both denied any sexual relationship.
On April 18, 2010 he sent an email that could be shared between two lovers to his wife, she acknowledged the mail on April 19, 2010, shortly after, she forwarded same mail to Segun Ilori and in error forwarded a copy to him.
This opened floodgate of suspicion that led to the discovery of several amorous email messages between the two lovers.
Upon being confronted by the petitioner, his wife confessed to having an adulterous and unprotected oral sex with her boss in the office on several other occasions.
Consequently, Mr Ogwugwa sought the dissolution of the marriage on the ground that the marriage had broken down and the custody of the two children produced by the marriage and N20 million as special and general damages for the trauma, tresspass and irresponsibility of Segun Ilori, the party cited in the divorce petition as the person responsible for the collapse of the marriage.
In her judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Jahegho Williams, said: “I have carefully considered this petition. They are not contradicted or controverted and as such, assumed to be correct. This court, therefore, has no option in the absence of any other fact mitigating against the petition, has been proved as required by law. I, therefore, dissolve the said marriage of November 25, 1994. Further, I give custody of the children to the petitioner.
“I also award the sum of N500,000 against Charity and Olasegun Ilori, jointly as special and general damages for the trauma and tresspass of them particularly for the irresponsible acts of Segun Ilori in ruining the matrimonial home of the petitioner.”
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