A middle-aged man, Abdullahi Bello, 38, on Thursday accused his wife, Maryam Umar of aborting her four-month pregnancy to get their 10-year- old marriage dissolved.

Bello was arraigned before the Kaduna Sharia Court, following a complaint filed by his wife Maryam seeking divorce.

He said that Maryam was pregnant before she left her matrimonial home and went back to her parents in Sheme, Katsina State.

“She had earlier told this court that she is two months’ pregnant during our first appearance and it is in the record but she is denying it now.“

Bello said he was saddened by the result of the test conducted, showing that she was no longer pregnant, noting that a pregnancy cannot go just like that except it was induced or terminated.

He urged the court to compel his wife to reveal what happened to the pregnancy before he would grant her request for a divorce.

Bello said he had two witnesses who were her relations that would testify before the court that she was pregnant before leaving his house.

In her response, Maryam denied terminating the pregnancy deliberately as alleged, saying that Bello was in the best position to explain what happened to the pregnancy before leaving her matrimonial home.

Maryam, mother of four, however, applied for a speedy hearing to alleviate the expenses she was incurring as she travelled from Katsina State to attend the court’s hearing.

The presiding judge, Khadi Ibrahim Inuwa, however, overruled the complainant’s prayer for accelerated hearing.

He said that the matter required a thorough investigation and directed the husband to present his witnesses in court to confirm his claim.

Inuwa adjourned the case to January 18 for continuation. (NAN)