A 38-year-old man, Samaila Salisu, on Tuesday denied the paternity of his month-old pregnant estranged wife, Maryam Ibrahim.
Salisu told the Sharia Court in Magajin Gari, Kaduna: ”I had intercourse with her only six times since we got married in 2022.
“I am not aware of any pregnancy. I am just hearing the news today. I am sure the pregnancy doesn’t belong to me.
“I have witnesses that can testify that the pregnancy isn’t mine because she left our matrimonial home since August 2022,” he said.
In her defence, Ibrahim said the baby belonged to Salisu.
”We used to spend time together even after I left my matrimonial home. My husband failed to keep his promise to take care of me. I wasn’t comfortable in the village where he kept me.
”In the village, my breakfast is pap without sugar and left over food. At home, I take tea with milk and bread.
”I couldn’t cope living in the village”, she said.
Earlier, Salisu urged the court to interprete the position of his marriage.
”She left my house and all efforts made for her to return failed,” she said.
The Judge, Malam Isiyaku Abdulrahman adjourned the matter until May 30 for the complainant to present witnesses testifying that his wife cheated and got pregnant.
He warned that if the witnesses failed to convince the court, the complainant would be punished for lying and defaming his wife.
