A 55-year-old mechanic, Salisu Adamu on Wednesday appeared before Sharia Court II at Magajin Gari Kaduna for allegedly abandoning his family.
Aisha, his wife of 20 years told the court that Adamu is no longer a responsible husband and father, as he has not been taking care of them.
“My husband has not been fulfilling his responsibility as a husband and a father.
“He doesn’t provide food nor take care of our health and has not been paying rent which makes the landlord to harass us all the time,” she told the court.
Aisha said that she had been shouldering the responsibility of their seven children including their schooling.
The wife told the court that she had earlier reported the matter to the defendant’s guardian, but their intervention has not yielded any positive result.
The complainant therefore prayed to court to compel Adamu to take up his responsibility of father his children, because she could no longer shoulder the burden due to the collapse of her business.
In his defence, the husband agreed that he has not been responsible for the education of the children, but had from time to time provided them with food when he has the means.
He disagreed with his wife that he has been irresponsible since their marriage 20 years ago, saying that his problem began seven months ago when the company he worked for failed to pay him his salary.
The Judge Malam, Musa Sa’ad descended heavily on Adamu, saying his actions cannot be justified and a serious sin before Allah.
“It is a great offence not to cater for your family while you are able and healthy.
” It is compulsory for the defendant to take up his responsibility as a husband and a father which include providing food, clothing, shelter, health and education,” the Judge said.
He ordered the complainant to provide the court with estimate of her monthly requirement for the family upkeep for the court to decide.
Sa’ad assured the woman that “from now henceforth he (the husband) will be a man”.