Ondo State witnessed a dramatic scene earlier this week at the Akure Customary Court when a woman, Mrs. Folakemi Adebayo, publicly accused her ex-husband, Mr. Emmanuel Oyebanji, and the lawyer who handled their divorce of betrayal and conspiracy.
The incident, reported by the Ondo State Government-owned Hope Newspaper, saw Folakemi storming the courtroom in tears, alleging that her former husband had secretly married the female lawyer who represented him during their divorce proceedings.
She claimed that the lawyer, who was supposed to maintain neutrality, was instead romantically involved with Emmanuel while the divorce case was still ongoing.
“She ruined my settlement! I trusted her to be neutral, not to be sleeping with my husband!” Folakemi cried out before the court, asserting that the lawyer exploited her privileged position to manipulate the process in Emmanuel’s favour.
She lamented that this alleged unethical conduct left her shortchanged in the final settlement.
Seeking justice, Folakemi pleaded with the court to revisit the divorce judgment and conduct a thorough investigation into the lawyer’s conduct, which she described as unprofessional and unethical.
However, in a calm and composed defence, Mr. Emmanuel Oyebanji dismissed all accusations. He narrated that his ex-wife abandoned their home less than a year into their marriage and completely severed communication with him.
According to Emmanuel, his relationship with the lawyer only began after the divorce had been legally concluded.
“She moved out and left me in loneliness. I only found comfort in someone who understood what I was going through, and that was after the court ended our marriage,” he told the court, firmly denying any misconduct or collusion during the divorce process.
The female lawyer at the centre of the allegations was also present in court. She maintained her composure and categorically denied having any romantic involvement with Emmanuel during the divorce proceedings.
“My interactions with Mr. Emmanuel were strictly professional. There was no impropriety or ethical breach on my part,” she stated, while the courtroom murmured with curiosity and disbelief.
After hearing the testimonies of all parties, the presiding judge, Ireti Sunday, addressed the court, noting that no tangible evidence had been presented to substantiate Folakemi’s claims of conspiracy or professional misconduct.
“This court cannot proceed on the basis of suspicion alone. There is no credible evidence before us to establish any wrongdoing or unethical conduct between Mr. Emmanuel and the lawyer during the divorce process,” the judge ruled.
With that, the case was dismissed, and the judge emphasized that courts must rely on verifiable facts rather than emotional allegations when making judicial decisions.