Asaba High Court 3 on Tuesday witnessed a shocking case as a 36-year-old housewife, Helen Owie, broke down in tears begging the court to help recover the sum of €550,000 from her husband, Chidi Ike.
Helen, who broke down in tears during cross examination by her counsel, Mr. Raphael Okhouoleigbe, explained amidst tears how she met her husband, Chidi Ike.
She said, “I got a contact from one of my customers in Benin City where I was then trading in clothes around New Benin Market in 2009 by one Obina who later introduced me to my husband Chidi.”
She explained further, “I showed interest that I will marry the brother after we had discussed and my photograph was sent to Chidi. Three weeks later, Chidi and I met and we started planning marriage, in the process I got a visa to travel to Italy and in 2012 I returned to Nigeria for the marriage. After the marriage, Chidi my husband demanded for a loan of N3million, and I loaned to him €550,000 and also sponsored our marriage for N180,000.”
“I spent two years in Europe and when I returned home, my husband Chidi refused to make love to me for three years, I spent in Nigeria, and each time I asked him to take in, he will dribble me, unknown to me he had a wife and children in Mbaise, Imo State, but he told me he was never married when I met him. He moved into Asaba after our marriage”.
Chidi, according to the prosecution counsel, CPL Elizabeth Ezeatu, had been arrested and subsequently detained at the Police “A” Division Asaba for alleged fraud with three count charges of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining under false pretence levelled against him.
Chidi who pleaded not guilty to the charges has been granted bail and the case presided over by Justice Daniel Maidu has been adjourned till March 21, 2016.