An 11-year-old boy on Wednesday told a Mapo Customary Court, Ibadan, that his father, Raufu AbdulhAkeemon, wanted to sacrifice him for money rituals.
The boy made this known when he testified in a divorce proceedings brought by his mother, Sekina, who hinged her petition on the allegation.
According to him, what my mother said is true and correct.
Sekina, an Ibadan-based businesswoman, had urged the court to dissolve her 12-year-old marriage to AbdulHakeem for alleged attempt to sacrifice their child for money ritual
The petitioner averred that the dissolution had become imperative after her estranged husband allegedly made attempt to sacrifice their child for money ritual.
She alleged that Abdulhakeem sent her away from the house solely for thus purpose
“Your honour, after Abdulhakeem had forcefully drove me from his home more than a year ago, I came across our 11-year-old child with multiple razor-blade mutilation all over his body.
“It was a gory site to behold and I immediately became apprehensive of what my three children were undergoing in my absence with Abdulhakeem.
“Then, the child told me that his father, Abdulhakeem took him to a ritualist who compelled him to carry some sacrificial objects at dawn after designing his body parts with razor mutilation,’’ she said.
She further said: “the boy told me that his father had claimed the ritual had to prevent him from stealing’’.
“Your honour, the fundamental questions at this point is that Abdulhakeem is an Alfa with strong Islamic background, what is his association with a herbalist.
“I take exception to that unlawful action by the respondent in making a child at that tender age to undergo such a midnight deadly exercise.
“The excuse he gave my child was merely to hide the truth; he has simply gone to use my child to commence a money ritual. He no longer deserves to be trusted with anyone,’’ she said.
Sekina said: “Before sending me out of his house, Abdulhakeem subjected me to such dehumanizing experiences such as regular battery and inadequate care for the three children’’.
“I have all along been responsible for the welfare of the children and I want to have custody of all of them because he might use all of them for money ritual,’’ she said.
On his part, Abdulhakeem denied the allegation, adding that it was a ploy to get the union dissolved.
He said his son was taken to a ritualist to cure him of the spirit of stealing that had been with him for some time now.
“Your honour, he is my son. I cannot use him for anything negative. She knows me not to have crazy ambition for wealth, for I am alright as I am,’’ Abdulhakeem said.
The President of the court, Mr Ademola Odunade, reserved judgment till September 28
“In view of the testimony of the child in question, the respondent is hereby ordered to produce the ritualist in court in the next sitting to ascertain the veracity of the claim.
