Court restrains husband from coming close to wife for 12 months

Magistrate (Mrs) Sule Amzat of a Lagos state Magistrate court sitting in Ogudu, Ojota, has restrained one Mr. Jonathan Emoghase from coming anywhere close to his wife and mother of his three children, Janet Ojeikere for the next 12 months over alleged incessant physical assault.

The order which was obtained from the family court last Thursday stated that Mr Emoghase would go to jail for three months if he is found to have disobeyed the order of the court.

The order of the court was sequel to the request of his wife, Janet, made through the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

DSVT Coordinator, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said that sometimes in February, Janet Ojeikere, reported a case of physical assault and threat to life by her husband, Mr Jonathan Emoghase.

The incident was said to have happened at their residence, 6 Funmilayo Close, Clemedu Awojaya, Ikeja at about 7. 00 p.m. on January 24.

Janet alleged that her husband, Jonathan, has been physically assaulting her since she married him three years ago.

She claimed that the last time her husband physically assaulted her, she hit her with a stick repeatedly while threatening to kill her.

Janet reported the matter at the Lagos State DSVRT which referred her to the Family Support Unit (FSU) Ketu Police Station which later arrested her husband and charged him to court.

Emoghase was arraigned last Thursday before Magistrate Sule O. Amzat of the family court, Ogudu, Ojota on a two count charge of assault and threat to kill Janet Ojeikere.

The two count charge stated in part; “that you, Jonathan Emoghase, on 24th January 2017 at about 1900 hours at No 6 Funmilayo Close, Celemadu Awojaya in Ikeja magisterial district did assault one Janet Ojeikere by beating her up and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 170 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015”.

Count two of the charge stated that Jonathan Emoghase, on the same date, threatened tom kill Janet Ojeikere by using a stick to beat and wound her and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 230 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

He pleaded not guilty to the two count charge preferred against him by the Police and was subsequently granted bail in the sum of N10, 000.00 by the trial magistrate, Amzat.

Same day, the wife, Janet Ojeikere requested for a restraining order against her husband, pursuant to the provisions of the Lagos State Prevention Against Domestic Violence Law, 2007 bearing in mind that her husband had promised to kill her.

Magistrate Amzat granted her request for a restraining order against Mr. Emoghase and barred him from coming anywhere close to the complainant for the next one year, of which failure to comply will earn him a minimum of three months’ imprisonment.

Reacting to the decision of the family court, DSVRT Coordinator, Mrs Vivour-Adeniyi urged survivors of domestic violence and members of the public not to keep quiet when assaulted assuring that there is help for them especially at the Family Courts of Lagos State.