A woman, Hameedat Ajadi, was on Tuesday docked in a magistrates' court in Kwara for allegedly assaulting her estranged husband, Abdul-Hammed Oladipupo.

Mr Oladipupo filed a direct criminal case of assault, mischief and public disturbances against his estranged wife, who is said to be the step-sister of the Kwara chief judge.

He alleged that the defendant drove recklessly and tried to hit him with a stone.

The defence counsel, N. T. Obalowu, requested that since the parties were formally husband and wife, the court should allow the matter to be heard in the Judge's Chambers.

She also requested that the complainant should engage the services of a lawyer to represent him, saying that it was against the rule of court for a complainant to read out his complaint in an open court personally.

She asked for an adjournment for the complainant to put his house in order and get a lawyer to represent him in court. But Mr Oladipupo objected to the submission.

Chief Magistrate Ibrahim Dasuki said the court would not accept such an application due to the complexity and procedural history of the case.

Mr Dasuki ruled in favour of the defendant counsel's prayer, in which she argued that it was against the court's rules for a complaint to personally read out his complainants without a lawyer present.

The magistrate ordered Mr Oladipupo to get a lawyer to represent him for the case to start properly.

He, therefore, adjourned the case until December 11 for mention, and ordered the counsel to produce the defendant on the adjourned date.

(NAN)