Metro

Nigerian Woman In UK On Trial For Starving Son To Death

Published

3 years ago

April 28, 2023

A Nigerian woman, Olabisi Abubakar, 42, from Cardiff, is facing trial in the United Kingdom for two counts of manslaughter and child cruelty relating to the death of her three-year-old son, Taiwo Abubakar.

Olabisi, accused of killing her three-year-old son through religious fasting, told police she had “locked herself away” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Mail Online.

She is being tried before the Cardiff Crown Court where it was revealed that police forced entry to her flat in the Cathays area on June 29, 2020 after a friend raised concerns for her welfare.

Olabisi, who was thin, malnourished and dehydrated, was found lying on a sofa bed next to the body of her son, Taiwo.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Taiwo weighed 9.8 kilos (22 pounds), with pathologist Dr Stephen Leadbetter finding his death was caused by malnutrition and dehydration.

The court heard Olabisi was sectioned on June 30, 2020 and has remained detained in hospital, where she is being treated for paranoid schizophrenia, Mail Online says.

The prosecutor, Peter Donnison, told the court that Olabisi was deemed fit for police interview in October 2020 and was interviewed by officers on eight occasions.

In one interview, according to Donnison, Olabisi described “the effect on her of the pressures of not having help, fearing coronavirus for herself and her child, and her immigration status.”

Mr Donnison said: “She described them as depressing. She said she was a religious woman and prayed to God and believed he had heard her and answered prayers and kept them safe.

“She had been taking her child out daily but she had to stop doing that due to the coronavirus. She described herself as locking herself away due to the coronavirus and her neighbour.”

Olabisi had been having issues with a neighbour at the property she was living at in Cwmdare Street, Cardiff, and was an asylum seeker.

The court was told that she is a devout Pentecostal Christian and fasts as part of her faith.

Prosecutors allege that Olabisi caused her young son to fast of both food and water along with her, due to fears over the coronavirus pandemic and personal pressures, according to Mail Online.

However, in police interviews Olabisi repeatedly denied this and said children should not fast until the age of 12.

Mr Donnison said: “She said she would dry fast when she wanted to speak to God and hear something from God.

“She said her child did not fast, he did eat, and she gave him food to eat.”

She told police she had fallen asleep on June 26 and believed she had gone to heaven before being brought back to life when her neighbour and police officers arrived.

Donnison said: “Olabisi Abubakar said she couldn’t explain what happened to her. She was asleep on the bed and that is what she remembered last. She said she believed she was being punished by God.”

In a police interview, Olabisi said: “I saw myself among the dead in heaven. I was saying, ‘I don’t want to die’. Then I saw the angels of God and they brought me back to life.”

The court heard a series of facts agreed by the prosecution and defence in the trial, read by Mr Donnison.

This included evidence that health visitors saw Olabisi and Taiwo before the pandemic and had no concerns, including in relation to her religion and religious practices.

They were not seen by healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 lockdown.

In February 2020, a police officer was called to a noise complaint by Olabisi’s neighbour and attended her room, which he described as “clean and warm”.

Taiwo was seen playing loudly and appeared “very energetic” and healthy, Mr Donnison said.

Police searched the property after Taiwo’s body was discovered on June 29 and found a note on food in a fridge, stating: “Do not touch anything, whooping cough, virus, save yourself.”

Olabisi wrote a series of notes while in an ambulance and in hospital, stating she was “very hungry” and “can’t stand up” as well that Taiwo was dead, Mail Online reports.

Olabisi told a police officer in hospital: “I don’t eat, I can’t cook, because of coronavirus I can’t go and buy food.”

Doctors found Olabisi was suffering delusions and she was sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 on June 30 2020, with detention in hospital still ongoing for her to receive treatment.

The jury has been told it is not disputed that Olabisi, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to London in 2011, neglected her son but the issue is her state of mind at the time, according to Mail Online.

As Olabisi’s trial continues, the court will have to decide whether Olabisi may have been insane, which would make her not guilty of charges against her by reason of insanity.

Caroline Rees KC is expected to open the defence case for Olabisi, who denies manslaughter and two counts of child cruelty, on Thursday afternoon.

Metro

My 16-yr-old Marriage Is Void Of Love, I Want Divorce, Woman Tells Court

Published

52 minutes ago

November 22, 2025

Editor

My wife deserted me, My husband has failed to satisfy me s3xually I will grant my wife divorce

An Area Court in Jos, Plateau State, on Friday, dissolved the 16-year-old marriage between a couple, Hussaina Abdullahi and Saidu Ali.

Delivering judgment, the judge, Lawal Suleiman granted the prayer of Abdullahi for divorce.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),the judge gave custody of their children to Hussaina and ordered Ali to send N 30,000 monthly through the court for the upkeep of the two children.

The judge also ordered Ali to pay the children’s school fees.

Earlier, before the divorce was granted, the petitioner told the court that she got married to Saidu in 2008.

”Our marriage lacks peace and love. I no longer love Saidu and can no longer live with him as his wife.

”I am ready to refund the N40,000 dowry he paid for my hand in marriage”, she said.

She prayed for custody of their two children.

Metro

‘My Wife Sapped Me, I Want Our Childless 26-yr-old Marriage Dissolved’— Clergy

Published

58 minutes ago

November 22, 2025

Editor

A clergyman, Adegoke, has approached Grade A Customary Court, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, seeking that it end the 26-year-old marriage between him and his wife, Adetoun on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.

Adegoke stated that no peaceful coexistence dwelt between him and his wife who is childless because she was aggressive and violent.

The plaintiff gave instances of when the defendant once slapped and bit him, and at another time hit him on the head with a scissors.

The plaintiff added that the defendant never ceased to rain curses on him.

Adegoke earnestly pleaded for divorce.

He also requested an order restraining his wife from threatening and interfering with his private life.

Adetoun refused to come to court despite being served court summonses.

Adegoke, in his testimony, said, “My wife and I got married in 1999 under the native laws and customs.

“Our union was blessed in the church two days after this, and we held a reception party.

“We have the marriage certificate given to us by the church in our possession, but unfortunately, all the pictures we took on both days got missing.

“We bore no child in our 26-year-old marriage.

“Our marriage lacks peace and rest because my wife is aggressive and difficult to live with.

“She gets angry easily and misbehaves when in this state.

“While other women bless their husband, my wife rains curses on me on a daily basis.

“Her curses, no doubt, have brought a setback in my life.

“Adetoun refused to give me the honour due to me in our home.

“She fights me on a regular basis.

“She once slapped me during one of our fights.

“To my chagrin, she showed no sign of remorse after this.

“I narrowly escaped being injured when she hit me on the head with a scissors during a heated argument.

“We had just finished Bible study one faithful day, and an argument erupted between us, which ended in a fight.

“Adetoun, before I knew it went for my hand and dug her teeth into it.

“I was in anguish for days.

“The scar it left on my hand tells the story.

“My lord, there is obviously no future in my marriage to my wife, especially that she is barren.

“I humbly plead that the court declares that we are no longer husband and wife.

“I also request an order restraining her from threatening and interfering with my private life.”

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, after she had heard the plaintiff adjourned the case for judgment.
(TRIBUNE)

Metro

‘I Caught My Wife Walking Hand In Hand With Her Lover’

Published

1 hour ago

November 22, 2025

Editor

…She told me they were divorced 15 years ago — Lover

A Soldier of Kabwe, Zambia, has been awarded K18,000 as compensation after the local court upheld his adultery claim against a man he found holding hands with his wife one night in Kapiri Mposhi.

Michael Bwalya, a resident of C Gate in Kabwe, narrated before Senior Local Court magistrate, Elias Kasonde, at Kabwe One Local Court how he caught Maybin Myula with his wife, Rose Bwalya, in a compromising situation.

According to Zambia Observer, Michael told the court that he was first alerted by his eldest daughter, who informed him that his wife had a “husband” in Kapiri Mposhi.

Michael then travelled to Kapiri Mposhi with two companions, Sylvia Phiri and Humphrey Kayambe, to confirm the claims.

He said that after arriving around 20:00 hours, he was stunned to find his wife walking hand in hand with Maybin.

“The moment they saw me, he released her hand. I was so upset, but I kept calm,” he told the court.

Michael said he followed the pair to Maybin’s house, where Maybin allegedly told him that Rose had claimed to be divorced for the past 15 years.

“I told them they should consider themselves married. I was so furious I almost killed him, but I restrained myself,” he said.

In his defense, Maybin denied committing adultery, claiming he was only escorting Rose to buy medicine.

However, the magistrate, Kasonde found Maybin guilty and ordered him to compensate Michael K18,000, to be paid in monthly installments of K1,000.