A 21-year-old Ibadan marriage was dissolved over poisoning and domestic violence claims, with custody of children awarded to Kumunyi

[dropcap]A[/dropcap] 21-year-old marriage between Omotayo Kumunyi, an Ibadan-based caterer, and her husband, Olatunde, was dissolved by the Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan on Friday following serious allegations of poisoning and domestic violence made by Kumunyi.

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Kumunyi, a resident of the Osungbade area in Ibadan, sought the dissolution of her marriage, citing her husband’s failure to provide for her and their four children.

She also claimed that Olatunde subjected her and their children to both emotional and physical abuse, leading her to move out of their matrimonial home.

According to Kumunyi, the marriage had become unbearable when their third child confided in her five years ago about witnessing her father pouring a black substance into her food whenever she was absent.

Shocked by this revelation, Kumunyi confronted Olatunde, who allegedly refused to eat the food when invited to do so.

She further accused Olatunde of frequently abusing her and their first child physically, calling them “punching bags” during his outbursts.

Kumunyi also expressed concerns about her husband’s ability to care for their children, prompting her to request sole custody.

Olatunde, a carpenter residing in Challenge, Ibadan, did not respond to most of the allegations but acknowledged paying the dowry for Kumunyi.

When it came to the issue of child custody, he argued that Kumunyi mistreated their last two children and stated that he would only be willing to contribute N5,000 to their monthly upkeep if custody was awarded to Kumunyi.

He also contended that their second child, who lived with him, was consistently attending school.

After considering the evidence presented by both parties, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, President of the court, granted the dissolution of the marriage, acknowledging that it had been legally contracted.

The court awarded custody of the last three children to Kumunyi, instructing Olatunde to pay a monthly feeding allowance of N20,000 for their upkeep, in addition to covering their educational and other welfare needs.

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As the first child is now 18 years old, the court allowed them the right to choose which parent to live with. However, the court also ordered that Kumunyi must provide Olatunde with reasonable access to the children.