Court dissolves five-year marriage over unmatched genotype

An Area Court in Centre-Igboro, Ilorin, Kwara State, on Thursday dissolved the Islamic marriage between Ajisegiri Balikis and Saadu Jimoh over unmatched genotype.

The presiding judge, Hammad Ajumonbi, while delivering the ruling, said that since both parties had agreed that they were no longer in love with each other, there would be no need for force.

Mr Ajumonbi dissolved the marriage and ordered Ms Balikis to observe the three-month iddah (waiting) period before she can remarry.

He awarded custody of the two children to Ms Balikis and said that the father has unrestricted access to his children.

The court ordered the father to pay N18,000 monthly for feeding and maintenance of the two children and be responsible for their school fees and medical services.

Earlier, Ms Balikis, in her petition, prayed the court to grant her divorce due to persistent misunderstanding, irresponsible attitude, lack of care, love, and trust, which she said began over the children’s genotype.

She told the court that her first child was AS while the second child was discovered to be SS.

”My second child was always falling sick, which prompted me to conduct a test and discover she was SS. The only thing I know is that my parents said that my genotype is AA, but I have never done an official test to confirm. That is why I told my husband before marriage that my genotype was AA while he told me he was AS,” she said.

She said that since her husband knew about the genotype, he stopped caring for her and the children and hardly gives them money for food and health services.

Responding, Mr Jimoh told the court that he believed his wife when she said she was AA because she was educated and should know better.

He said, “I was actually angry because her auntie was our matchmaker and I trusted her. But I have accepted my faith. On October 17, my father-in-law invited me over and told me not to worry. He asked my wife to move out of the house.

All efforts to resolve the issue failed, and my in-law reported me to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, where I was directed to pay N10,000 monthly for children’s feeding