My Husband Abandoned Me, 3 Kids For Years Over Hard Drugs Case
A businesswoman, Chidi Konyeaso, Wednesday, narrated before a Federal High Court, Lagos, how his estranged husband, Dennis Konyeaso, abandoned her and three kids for several years, after he was involved in a hard-drug related offences.
The businesswoman who is standing trial before Justice Mohammed Idris led-court, on a four counts charge of conspiracy adding and abating, unlawful dealing and storing of 3.3 kilograms of cocaine.
The estranged couple are being tried by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The offences according to the NDLEA’s prosecutor, Mrs. Obiageri Iwuchukwu Ahaji, are contrary to 14(b), 19 and 12 of the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
NDLEA in a charge marked FHC/L/2c/2012, alleged that the couple had sometimes in July, 2007, conspired with and aided on Victor Keyamo, an ex-comvict, to export 3.3 kilograms of cocaine.
They were also alleged to have on July 9, 2007, at their residence, Plot 729 Atere, Omole Estate, Ikeja, Lagos, without lawful authority, possessed and stored 33 grams of cocaine.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the resumed hearing of the matter, the businesswoman told the court how her husband deserted her and her three kids, when he got the hint that he was been looking for by the operatives of NDLEA, after the arrest of Victor Keyamo, who has completed his jail terms on the alleged offence.
The businesswoman, who was led-in evidence by her lawyer, Mr. Uja John, said: “on July 9, 2007, i was in the room when the operative of NDLEA stormed our residence looking for my husband. I was later told that someone arrested at the airport a day earlier, who mentioned my husband name as the person that gave him the drug.
“And upon search our home a substance which they said was hard drug was found, and when I could not produce my husband, myself and the kids were taken to Airport Command of the agency. I was detained for 90 days, while my kids were released later. During my stay in detention and after I was charged to court alongside Victor Keyamo, my husband was nowhere to be found”.
However, while being cross-examined by the lawyer to her husband, Mr. Bamidele Ibironke who told her that she gave a contradictory evidence against her husband because she was hurt due to the incident that happened between them. The businesswoman said: “I was not hurt, and there was no dispute between us.
“When the incidence happened, he abandoned us, he took off and never show up. We were homeless, no food, I was taken the kids from house to house, school fees not paid.
“I remembered when I called his lawyer to call him to bring school fees. I had no home, shoes, he deserted us”.
When asked if their marriage has been dissolve in traditional way. The businesswoman said: ” he (her husband) can’t show up in our family because of his drug case for divorce traditionally “.
The businesswoman, while also being cross-examined by the prosecutor, Mrs. Iwuchukwu Ahaji, told the court that she did not know the content of the bag neither did she open the bag which her husband told her to give Victor Keyamo (ex-convict), to know the content. Adding that she did not have access to her husband room as she did not have the key, and that that was why the NDLEA operators broke the door and discovered the hard drug substance.
Justice Idris, has adjourned the matter till September 28, for adoption of parties’ written addresses.
