The police in Lagos
State have launched a manhunt for a resident of Azeez Olaosebikan Street,
Agege, Babatunde Igbara, after he allegedly battered his wife’s eyes.
The man reportedly rained punches on the
38-year-old woman, Gbemisola Igbara, in the presence of their four children
until her eyes became swollen.
Punch learnt that Babatunde had approached the victim
on Monday morning, two days after he was released on bail from the Kirikiri
prison, demanding if she took the N2,000 he kept in the room.
He was said to have accused her of stealing the money and
resorted to violence when she refuted the allegation.
She said, “I was very
weak that morning because of the stress I passed through to secure his bail
from the prison over a land matter. He woke me up and asked if I took N2,000
from his clothes. I said no. When he continued to accuse me, I asked him why he
thought I would steal his money when I spent over N20,000 and borrowed money
from friends to facilitate his release.
“I told him to stop disturbing me. He then
started punching me in the face and my eyes became swollen. My children begged
him, but he refused. It was our neighbours who rescued me from him. I am fed
up; but I don’t want to pack out because of my children,” she said.
“I can no longer bear
the beating. He beats me to the point that I won’t be able to open my shop for
days. I took a loan of N200,000 to start the business, but it has been
difficult for me to repay it because of these troubles. I have reported to the
police at the Abattoir division and they promised to get him arrested,” she
added.
However, Babatunde, who spoke with Punch correspondent
on the telephone in Yoruba, denied assaulting his wife, saying she slipped
during the altercation and got injured.
“I didn’t beat her. It was a lie. It was true
that we had a misunderstanding that day but I never used my hands on her. She
fell and hit her face on an object. I need to see you so that I can explain
better. Our families have been trying to resolve it,” he said.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo
Badmos, had yet to reply to a text message sent to her phone on the incident as
of press time.
-Punch
No comments:
Post a Comment