A businessman, Moses Ojiekomhan, yesterday told an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, that he caught his wife, Joy, in bed with his driver Emeka Osuh, at their Lagos home.
Ojiekomhan, the Managing Director of Legend Logistics and Integrated Concept Limited, Ikeja, stated this during Joy’s arraignment on a two count-charge of conspiracy and stealing.
Joy pleaded not guilty.
The mother of two, through her counsel Mr. J. Uwabuche, accused Ojiekomhan of abducting their 18-month-old baby.
According to the police, in a charge marked G38/2017, last June 30 around 11:30am, Joy, 37, conspired with Osuh, who is now at large, to steal N1,136,400 belonging to Legend Logistics and Integrated Concept.
According to prosecuting counsel, Mr. E. I. Onine, the alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under Sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Uwabuche, who urged the court to admit Joy to bail on liberal terms, said the matter was between husband and wife, and that reconciliation was ongoing between their family members.
This was not opposed by Onine.
Before her ruling, Chief Magistrate Helen Omisore turned to Ojiekomhan and sought confirmation of the duo’s relationship.
Ojiekomhan replied: “We once lived together as husband and wife but we are now separated. They have charged me to court for child abduction. I caught Emeka, who is a driver in my company, sleeping with her in my house.”
The prosecutor added that police investigation found that the two were once husband and wife, but separated after Ojiekomhan found Joy and Osuh in his bed.
Uwabuche, however, pointed out that Ojiekomhan took away their 18-month-old baby from the defendant.
“An Ogba Chief Magistrates’ Court, in Court 4, has even issued a warrant of arrest against him,” the defence counsel said.
He stated that Joy’s arraignment was a ploy by the police to prevent her from appearing in court today to testify as a witness on the child abduction charge against him.
Following the conflicting claims, Magistrate Omisore called for the case file, examined it, and ruled on the defendant’s bail.
She said: “The defendant is hereby granted N500,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. One of the sureties must be a relative to the defendant, have three years tax certificate payable to the Lagos State government. Both the home and office addresses of the sureties must be verified by the prosecutor.”
The case continues on September 27.
