Contempt: Mother of 3 escapes jail over children’s custody

A mother of three, Mrs Haleemot Ademuyiwa, on Monday narrowly escaped being jailed by an Abeokuta Customary Grade II court sitting at Ake for failing to produce her children before the court as ordered.  The visibly angry president of the court, Chief Olalekan Akande, said it has become worrisome how some people with cases in […]

A mother of three, Mrs Haleemot Ademuyiwa, on Monday narrowly escaped being jailed by an Abeokuta Customary Grade II court sitting at Ake for failing to produce her children before the court as ordered.

 The visibly angry president of the court, Chief Olalekan Akande, said it has become worrisome how some people with cases in the court flagrantly disobeyed its orders, using the Welfare Department as an excuse.

 Akande, who wondered whether the Welfare Department was superior to the Customary Court, said, “This has been a recurring issue here. If not that there has been a development on this matter, I would have ordered you to be taken into police custody until your mother brings the three children. This is pure contempt of court. You are only lucky this morning.

 “We told your mother at the last sitting to bring the children and today, you are telling us that the Welfare says… Which welfare? Is that place bigger than here? The only place that can give a contrary view to ours is the Family Court, and that must come through a letter urging us to step down on the issue of the children. In as much as your marriage is not put down at the Registry, the dissolution will be done here at the Customary Court.” 

 Haleemot’s husband, Lateef Ademuyiwa, had sought for the dissolution of the 10-year-old relationship over claims of adultery, threat to life and lack of care for their children. 

 At the last hearing of the case, which Haleemot attended, the court directed that the three children of the marriage, who Ademuyiwa claimed he could not have access to, be brought to the court.

 But at the resumed hearing on Monday, whereas Haleemot was present in court, she didn’t bring the children. 

 After the court had been told of a related matter coming up before the Family Court at Isabo, also in Abeokuta, on Thursday, April 26, 2018, Akande adjourned the case till May 2, 2018, with a fresh order to have the children in court, “except the Family Court notifies us here on what to do or not to do.”