There was a mild drama at the Akure Customary Court during the week as a woman, Mrs Folakemi Adebayo, openly accused her ex-husband, Emmanuel Oyebanji, and the lawyer who handled their divorce case of betrayal.
The court session took a dramatic turn when Folakemi, visibly emotional, stormed the courtroom in tears, alleging that Emmanuel secretly married the lawyer.
According to the Ondo State Government-owned publication, Hope Newspaper, Folake alleged a conspiracy between her former spouse and the female lawyer, whom she claimed pretended to be neutral during their divorce proceedings.
“She ruined my settlement! I trusted her to be neutral, not sleeping with my husband!” Folakemi cried out in court, insisting that the lawyer’s relationship with Emmanuel started while the legal process was still ongoing.
She alleged that the said lawyer, by virtue of her position, manipulated the process to her own advantage, leaving her short-changed in the divorce settlement.
Folakemi pleaded with the court to revisit the divorce verdict and investigate the lawyer for professional misconduct and unethical behaviour.
However, Mr Emmanuel, who maintained his composure during the proceedings, strongly denied the allegations, stating that his ex-wife had abandoned their home barely a year into the marriage and completely cut off communication.
“She moved out and left me alone. I only found comfort in someone who understood what I was going through,” he told the court.
He further explained that his relationship with the lawyer in question did not begin until after the divorce was concluded and denied any wrongdoing or conspiracy during the legal process.
Also reacting to the allegations, the lawyer, who was physically present in court, denied having any romantic relationship with Mr Emmanuel while the divorce proceedings were ongoing.
“My dealings with Mr Emmanuel were purely professional during the case. There was nothing unethical between us and I am not guilty of any misconduct,” she stated, maintaining her composure as the courtroom murmured.
After hearing from all parties, the presiding judge, Ireti Sunday, ruled that the court could not take any action based solely on suspicion without credible evidence.
“This court cannot act on suspicion alone. There is no evidence before this court to prove any conspiracy or professional misconduct between Mr Emmanuel and the lawyer during the divorce process,” the judge ruled.
Consequently, the case was dismissed