woman wants N.5m for seven years relationship'

A woman, Augustina Dairo, has been accused of demanding a N500,000 compensation from her partner, Wahab, for cohabiting with her for seven years.

The man, a middle-aged retiree, told an Oshodi Grade 'B' Customary Court, Lagos on Monday that their relationship started when he accommodated Augustina and her five children in his one-room apartment in 2005.

He accused Augustina and her brother, a policeman, of harassing him, even though they were not married but were having a sexual relationship.

He said, "I don't know her from anywhere and I didn't marry her. I only accommodated her and her five children in my one-room apartment when she could not get a place to stay.

"Since I had lost my wife and I had no issue (child) we started the relationship with the hope that she would give birth to children for me.

"The relationship has been childless but she always quarrels with me on trivial issues and accuses me of infidelity.

"I have been condoning her excesses for a long time but now that I don't want her anymore, she is demanding for N500,000 from me before she leaves."

However, Augustina refuted Wahab's claims and said it was the loans he gave to him to buy a car that she was demanding.

Augustina said, "I am a fertile woman. I have been pregnant on two occasions for him but I had miscarriages on both occasions after he beat me up.

"Though he didn't marry me formally, he had at a time issued me a fake marriage certificate which I used to secure a job.

"It is the money I lent him some years back to purchase a car that I am demanding. If he is tired of the union there is no problem. But he should give me the money he owes me."

After hearing both parties the Court President, Mrs. A.I. Olorunnimbe, adjourned the case till April 20 for further hearing.