A 35-year-old man, Simeon Ekwuruke, had been arraigned by the police before a Lagos State Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Ebute Meta, for allegedly failing to cater for his 17-year-old ‘wife’ and giving her some relevant things she needed to survive.
According to Punch reports on Thursday, November 6, 2014, 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.
Also, their union was said to have begun some four years ago after the 17-year old had taken in at 13 years and consequently packed into his house in Ladafe Dada Street, Ikate, Surulere, Lagos.
It was learnt that they have three kids together while the woman is pregnant with the fourth one during which her husband Ekwuruke allegedly assaulted her and denied being the father to the four children.
The pregnant woman had disclosed that for two months, her husband had not provided food for her, said the police.
Following this accusation, Ekwurruke was charged with a one count charge in the court of failure to provide for his household which he pleaded not guilty to.
The charge said, “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.”
The offence which according to police prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus Osuji, was punishable under Section 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011 attracts a punishment of a two-year jail term for any offender.
Meanwhile, after the hearing,the defendant was granted bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum while the chief magistrate, Mrs. Demi Ajayi, issued directives that the defendant’s wife and three children should go for a DNA test in order to determine their paternity.
The case was further adjourned for further hearing on Wednesday, December 3, 2014.
