It is 1:00am. As usual, we stayed up to follow up on a crisis. A woman is due to appear in Court on Wednesday to defend a child custody case her estranged husband had filed against her. But the man does not want her to be present in court. So, the man had the police arrest the woman by 8pm on Tuesday. The woman is a banker, a branch manager. The police did not allow her to make a phone call when they arrested her. As a result, she could not even drop the key to the bank branch office which she has. Obviously, that may lead to her sack, an entirely different kettle of fish.
By 11pm on Tuesday night (about two hours ago) the lawyer who has been representing the woman in court and who is to be with her in court this morning contacted me. She informed me that the police had taken her client away to an unknown location. She has been preparing for argument in court on Wednesday. But there is not going to be an argument. Her client will not show up. The husband of their client, against whom they are in court, has seen to it that the woman was taken by the police at the right time.
Now, this lawyer realizes that their opponent has upped the ante and this is not what she bargained for. The lawyer is brave and feisty. She is passionate and wants to do justice for her client. But now she needed DPA. You may get to read the interesting chat communications between that lawyer and me. I admire her and respect her. But we agree that the matter has escalated beyond her control.
Before I give you the entire story, I will direct you to a petition the arrested woman wrote to the police against her husband. But as you know, the police do not respond to a petition written by a woman against her husband. But once the husband writes against the wife, she is arrested. That is how this woman wrote a petition against her husband asking the police to protect her, only for the police to arrest her. That is the game tonight but we are dealing with it":
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"We are counsels to Mrs. Oluchi Onyeabushi (herein referred to as our client) and on whose instructions and authority we write this letter.
"Our Client wedded Mr Tochukwu Onyeabushi on the 11th of January 2014 in Lagos State. Shortly after that, Our client became a victim of Domestic Violence, all the affections that Mr Tochukwu had for our client ceased. He turned her to a punching bag at the slightest provocation without any recourse. This domestic violence perpetuated on our client went on for months even during the course of her pregnancy.
"On the 27th of April 2014, our client went into premature labour and gave birth to a baby girl at 31 weeks or 7 months old as a result of the severe beating she had received from Mr Tochukwu during the week when he repeatedly beat, slapped, kicked and hit her with his fists and his belt.
"Our Client endured all the beatings and humiliations until the 29th of September 2014, when Mr. Tochukwu at about 10pm beat her up and pushed her out of their matrimonial home. Our Client sought refuge with her parents at their Ayobo Home. She was with her parents for 3 days before Mr Tochukwu came and apologized and she went back with him. Nevertheless, that did not stop him from battering her.
"On the 1st of November 2014, at about 8pm, Mr Tochukwu beat up our client so bad to the extent that she passed out for some time. It took the quick and timely intervention of the Nanny to revive her, Still Mr Tochukwu remained unperturbed. On the 2nd of November at about 6.30am, Mr Tochukwu for no just cause and without any provocation on the side of our client started battering her. He held her neck and attempted to choke her to death. Our Client managed to free herself from his chokehold and ran out of the house with her six month old daughter dressed in only her night wears.
This last incident of 2nd November 2014 informed our client’s decision to move back to her father’s house because she fears for her life and that of her 6 months old baby.
"Since our client moved back with her parents as a result of the domestic violence she received at the hands of Mr. Tochukwu, he has been threatening her life. Our Client is a banker who works with Fidelity Bank PLC. Mr. Tochukwu now goes into the banking hall of our client and abuses, embarrasses, insults and threatens her life in the presence of her customers and other bank Staff. The Human Resources Department of the bank has called him severally and informed him on the legal implications of threat to life especially in a public place like a bank; still there was no change from Mr. Tochukwu, who has been repeating the same act, even as recent as on the 7th of January 2015.
"When Mr. Tochukwu threatens our client, he uses words and phrases like “I WILL KILL YOU”, I WILL BEAT YOU BLUE AND BLACK”, “YOU ARE A BITCH”. He has also threatened to forcefully take custody of the baby girl of the marriage who is only 8 months old. Mr. Tochukwu has infact on two separate occasions attempted to forcefully take the child of the marriage from our client’s father’s house while our client was at work but did not succeed.
"It is our utmost belief that Mr. Tochukwu is capable of causing grievous bodily harm to our client or even taking the life of our client as he has attempted to do so in time past.
"Sir, we humbly urge you to use your good office to put an end to this intimidation, embarrassment and harassment of our client by Mr. Tochukwu Onyeabushi in order to preserve the life of our client.
Thank you for your anticipated quick and positive response."
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NOTE: It is a shame that the Nigerian police never acted on the above letter. However, the same man that should have been a suspect was able to get the police to arrest the woman in the middle of the night. This is looking like a classic DPA fight.
Please I need the following information:
(1) The name and phone number of the police commissioner for Ogun State or the Police Public Relations officer.
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