A Crown Court in Belfast, Northern Ireland has sentenced a Nigerian man identified as Rotimi Adeyemo to four years in prison for assaulting his ex-wife.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that Adeyemo reportedly carried out sustained attacks on his ex-wife and was initially charged with attempted murder, which he denied.
The attacks involved strangulation, kicks, punches and threats with a knife placed on her throat, the Irish News reports.
The attacks reportedly took place in the presence of the unnamed woman’s eight-year-old daughter.
Adeyemo later pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to his ex-wife with intent.
The 52-year-old dated one of his ex-wife’s neighbors after their relationship ended but later accused the former of making him impotent with the use of voodoo.
Two days after she denied the claims, Adeyemo went to his ex-wife’s house and grabbed her by the throat which left her unable to speak or breathe.
According to the report, he carried her by the throat into the kitchen, threatened to kill her and picked up a knife to try and cut her throat.
The unnamed ex-wife managed to grab a plate and smash it over Adeyemo’s head which caused a bleeding wound, which, according to her made him “completely lose it”.
Adeyemo also punched and kicked her in the face until she lost consciousness.
The victim sustained multiple injuries including a collapsed lung, bleeding to the brain and fractures to her ribs, nose and jaw and spent three days in the hospital.
The judge, Justice Fowler, was said to have described the aftermath of the attack, captured on police body-worn footage, as “harrowing”.
Fowler also said the incident made the victim avoid going out, become isolated, install security cameras to feel safe in her home, and suffers nightmares.
During his interview with the police, Adeyemo said his ex-wife was into witchcraft and reiterated the claim about the spell which caused his impotency.
He also admitted that he drank half a bottle of Bailey’s before going to her house.
The judge said he considered the defence’s submissions which included Adeyemo’s clear criminal record, good work record, no prior domestic violence and remorse.
He also accepted medical reports that suggested that the defendant experienced a mental health breakdown at the time.
The judge imposed an eight-year sentence, divided equally between prison and supervised licence, and put in place a five-year restraining order against Adeyemo.
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