10-year-old boy accuses mother of asking him to poison father

The mother, Adenike Ayodele, had sent a petition to the court to dissolve her 15-year-old marriage to her estranged husband on the ground of irresponsibility and battery.

She told the court that her husband, Adeshina, had turned her into a punching bag.

Adenike said, "For 14 years, Adeshina has not stopped beating me and the last one he did was the reason why I made up my mind to quit the marriage.

"On that day, I requested for money for the upkeep of the children and Adeshina beat me so much, blood started to drip from my two ears.

"He also broke one of my legs that day and I am still experiencing the pain till today.

"Again, on December 5, 2018, Adeshina came to attack me in my shop because he was not happy that my business is doing well despite inhumane treatment.

"Then, he threatened to ruin my business by all means and what followed was the burgling of my shop two Sundays ago.

"Now, all my means of livelihood have been burgled and I got him apprehended but without any positive result."

While making his testimony, their son told the court that his mother gave him a powdery substance which she instructed him to put in his father's food and bathing water, with a warning never to disclose the happenings to anyone.

He said, "However, I love my father and I told him because I never wanted any bad thing to happen to him."

Adeshina in his response consented to her request to terminate their marriage but denied the allegation leveled against him.

The court president, Chief Ademola Odunade, ordered the petitioner to bring her parents to the court during the next hearing on February 27.