My ex-husband killed our daughter for ritual, woman alleges in court

A Lagos trader and mother of three on Wednesday told an Ile-Tuntun customary court in Ibadan that her ex-husband allegedly killed her daughter for ritual.

President of the court, Chief Henry Agbaje, had in 2016 dissolved the union between Rafiat Okunola and Kasali Adeleke on grounds of battery, attempted sale of child and lack of care.

The court in that judgment awarded custody of the three children to the husband because they were already grown-up and directed the wife to approach the court anytime she desired seeing the children.

Testifying in the court, Rafiat prayed the court to give her custody of the two children left with her exhusband because she was scared that Adeleke might expose their lives to danger

“I was shocked when our first child informed me that their father, Adeleke, buried his younger sister after she died in 2018.

“After our separation, I went to work in Lagos State and when I returned to Ibadan in December 2018, I went to visit my children.

“My first child told me that his younger sister had died and had been buried by his father. Then, I asked my relatives who also live in Ibadan whether Adeleke carried them along concerning how the girl died or not. They informed me that they were not aware of anything. I suspected that he may have used her for ritual,” Rofiat said .

Denying the allegation, the defendant, who is a trader, accused Rafiat of being a child trafficker.

He prayed the court to dismiss Rafiat’s request to take custody of the remaining two children based on her insincerity and dubious character.

“My lord, there is nothing strange about the circumstances that led to our daughter’s death.

“When I was burying the girl, Rafiat’s mother, three sisters and a man married to one of the sisters were present.

“Before Rafiat and I separated, the girl had been nursing a leg injury. The leg injury developed some complications and she was hospitalized, where she later died.

“Rafiat is in fact responsible for the girl’s death through her misbehaviour which the daughter was unhappy about.

“One of the reasons why I called it quits with Rafiat then was due to her dubious character and the attempt she made at selling our last child.

“I was called from Ibadan while on a business trip to Abeokuta that Rafiat had concluded plans to sell our last child at a camp,”Adeleke stated.

The court’s president, however, requested them to provide more evidence to substantiate their arguments, asking them to bring along their family members.

He adjourned the case until April 4, for judgment. (NAN)