Date: 2016-08-22

*I only collected N 50,000 from him - Woman

An Omu-Aran area court in Kwara State has ordered a trader, Dupe Rotimi, 35, to refund N100,000 for failing to honour a marriage-contract with a driver, Ezekiel Aremu.

Ezekiel, 65, of Ile Oba in Idofin Ayekale, had on April 25 petitioned the court, asking it to collect N189, 000 from Dupe being the amount he allegedly expended on Rotimi during their courtship.

He had in the petition accused Dupe of refusing to marry him and also failed to refund the money incurred on her.

Aremu told the court that his search for a new wife after the death of his first wife had prompted a marriage contract between him and Rotimi through her friend called Taiye. "I met her through her friend and a marriage contract was sealed and I have been taking care of her financial and domestic needs since.

"This is in respect of her feeding, house rent, businesses, children school fees and others. "But to my surprise, she reneged on her earlier promise to marry me and even failed to honour the undertaking to refund my expenses," he said. Aremu had tendered a written undertaking signed by Dupe as well as a written record of expenses incurred as exhibit.

He had also called five witnesses as against Dupe's two to corroborate his evidence before the court.

Dupe, who in her response acknowledged instituting a marriage contract with Aremu, however, admitted collecting only N50, 000 from him. She said that she spent the amount to take care of herself after undergoing an abortion.

The judge, Mr Abolade Banigbe, in his ruling, admitted that a marriage contract once existed between the parties. "After the court's careful perusal of their evidence and those of the witnesses, there was monetary and transaction of goods between the parties.

"Going by the facts before me, the evidence of the plaintiff corroborated those of his witnesses, while those of the defendant were in contrast with hers. "Although, it is a law that not every expense incurred on a lady is recoverable, what is most important here is corroboration in the evidence given.

"I want to believe that the defendant in this case is a liar and she likes duping people of their properties. "It is hereby ordered that the defendant should pay N100, 000 to the plaintiff while 10 per cent be deducted to state government's coffers," Banigbe said.