You Dare Not Arrest Her, Bystanders Tell Police

It was indeed a dramatic experience at the Enugu High Court as a man, Ikechukwu Utazi known to be a legal practitioner and some policemen allegedly attempted to arrest his wife over the custody of their children. The attempt was foiled by bystanders.

The woman identified as Esther Utazi was said to have filed a divorce suit at the State High Court against the husband, Ikechukwu, over alleged infidelity, violence, lack of love and care.

In one of her reliefs, she had prayed the court to grant her custody of their five children aged between one years and 11 years.

However, when the matter came up, the presiding judge, Justice Linda Okibe, had advised the estranged couple and their families to seek an out of court settlement for the sake of their children and also promised to provide a counsel for them which the couple accepted. The judge subsequently adjourned the matter till March 13, 2019, for the report of the settlement.

However, it was gathered that immediately after they left the court premises, Ikechukwu and some uniformed policemen with inscription ‘IGP Intelligence Response Team’ allegedly swooped on the woman and her one-year-old baby and made an attempt to whisk them away.

But following the quick intervention of bystanders who had noticed it, raised an alarm, and had reported the matter to the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Priscilla Emehelu, the plan to whisk them away was foiled.

It was gathered the Chief Judge immediately, summoned the IGP Intelligent Response Team and also invited the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Danmallam, and then, handed them over to him.

The plaintiff (Esther) had earlier told the court during the proceeding, that they were married for 10 years and that all of a sudden, her husband left home and lodged in a hotel for weeks with another strange woman.

She complained bitterly that the respondent (husband) had wanted to forcefully take custody of the children, and added that she could not leave her children under the care of a strange woman.

Esther aforementioned “My Husband needs all the youngsters, however it’s insufferable as I cannot leave all my kids to be underneath the care of an odd girl. Also, it is obvious that our first child is just 11 years, and also obvious that our last child is just one year old. Sadly, they are all not in school because I am not working, and my husband has refused to provide for them. ”

In his response, Ikechukwu , who had represented himself as a lawyer, said that his ran away from his home with some of his belongings and children.

Ikechukwu had earlier rejected all attempts to reconcile with his wife, but later accepted the plea before Justice Okibe.