“My husband is a criminal, a serial pickpocket. I did not know I am married to a thief,” divorce-seeking woman tells an Ibadan Customary Court.

Mary, who is married to an Ibadan-based businessman, Mr Ibrahim Gbadamosi, said he was deceived into marrying him for about 20 years unknown to her that the man is a criminal.

“Neither Ibrahim nor his friends told me that he was a criminal until he was jailed at Ile-Oluji in Ondo State.

“There was a time I sold some of my property to secure his bail until I got to know that he was a serial pickpocket.

“My Lord, Ibrahim is yet to pay my bride price,” she also told the court.

Gbadamosi had approached a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan seeking the dissolution of the union. He accused her of infidelity and masterminding an attempt to kidnap one of his children.

Marry added, “My husband is a thief and not a businessman as he claimed.

“My Lord, although, I have agreed to part ways with Ibrahim, I must reveal some `hidden truths’ about this man that calls himself a businessman.

“I never knew what he was doing for a very long time and I became very uncomfortable with his lifestyle.

“All I knew was that security operatives used to come and arrest him and his friends used to run from one place to another to gather money for his release.”

The estranged wife, who said she would not object to the request of her husband for the dissolution of the marriage, described it as good riddance to bad rubbish.

“He doesn’t worth it; let him go,” Mary said.

Earlier, Ibrahim, who resides at Soka area of Ibadan, told the court that his wife let him down in his time of “trouble and persecution”.

He regretted that his wife’s situation degenerated to the extent of her becoming a prostitute.

“This hit me like a big stick. I can confirm to this honourable court that our landlord’s younger brother impregnated her and had been sleeping with her ever since.

“Moreover, Mary usually launch attacks on me with the intention of inflicting bodily injuries or even terminating my life.

“As if that was not enough, Mary and our first child conspired to kidnap my child given birth to by my second wife.

“The matter was reported at the police station where they were both made to sign an undertaking never to involve in kidnapping again,” he said.

Ibrahim, who said he was incarcerated for 16 months for importing contraband, alleged that Mary did not visit his shop, thereby allowing all the goods to rust.

“Please, this honourable court should allow her daughter to be with her. I am ready to give her anything she wants on a monthly basis to cater for her.”

The President of the court, Mr Ademola Odunade, while adjourning the case to Nov. 28, asked the couple to continue to be of good behaviour.