By Ayodele Popoola
A 76-year-old Dutch woman, Shug Yung Tang has dragged her husband, Adetokunbo Olorunwa, 35, before an Akure Magistrates’ court for allegedly beating and assaulting her.
The jury and spectators were stupefied by the development as the scenario was one that people of Ondo State only read about in the news. Hence, the shock was palpable as the scenario they had only read about was brought home forcibly to them.
Adetokunbo Olorunwa like some of his ilks abroad had married a woman twice his age and now seemed to be tired of their love after five years as he turned her to a punching bag.
According to information reaching The Hope, the Septuagenarian on September 3, 2021, made a complaint to the police that Adetokunbo, locked her in a room at Ayus Hotel, Akure where she had lodged.
Yung Tang alleged that the defendant had earlier attacked her mercilessly by hitting her with a handbag on her head, and also dragged her on the ground by her two legs; an act which shocked the victim and made her conclude that her young husband no longer loved her.
According to the police, the victim sustained grievous injuries in the process of the beating and assault
The statement read in part, “The victim was immediately referred to the hospital for medical attention and she was assisted in preserving the evidence of the assault.”
She disclosed that this was not the first time that Olorunwa would physically, emotionally and verbally abuse her although she had always taken it in her stride.
It was gathered that the Dutch woman and the defendant met on social media sometimes in 2017.
The Dutch woman explained to the police that they fell in love. She later travelled down to meet Olorunwa and their love affair blossomed which eventually led to marriage.
The sweet love went sour when Yang Tang found out that despite being married to her,
Olorunwa had also married another woman in Nigeria and had two kids by her.
The development made her to conclude that he had been deceiving and scamming her since the inception of their union.
Olorunwa’s attitude of avoiding her provoked the old woman when she came to visit him in Akure from Netherlands last year which was her usual practice every year.
His neglect purportedly led to an argument between them.
“I met Adetokunbo on Facebook sometimes in June 2017 and we started our love adventure. He promised to marry me and he eventually did,” she stated.
In her statement, she claimed that on many occasions he asked her for money which she gave him and also assisted him in many other ways.
” I came to Nigeria last August to visit him from Netherlands when he asked me to come. I catered for all the expenses and I also risked my life to fly to Nigeria.
“I was in the hotel room where he lodged me, complaining about his character. and how he lied to me. Rather than apologize, he beat me, dragged me on the floor, and injured me
“I want him to pay me all the money I gave him because he promised to return the money I sent to him of which I have the evidence with me,” she said
“He asked to give him the sum of 2000 pounds (1.5million naira, Nigerian currency) to open a photography studio, which I did after giving him the sum of N130,000. It is obvious he is a fraudster” She accused him.
She begged the court for a speedy hearing as she would soon need to brave back to her country.
The woman stated that she has also filed a divorce suit at the high court praying for the dissolution of the marriage
Defense Counsel, Yemi Adetoyinbo claimed that the victim and the defendant were still husband and wife and the matter was purely family affair that could be settled amicably.
He stressed that their marriage had legal backing as they both signed to become husband and wife at the Akure South Local Government Registry in 2017 immediately after they met.
The defendant was arraigned on one count charge of assault punishable under Section 351of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1 Law of Ondo State, 2016.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.
The presiding Magistrate, D.S Sekoni, granted the defendant bail in the sum of 200,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The case was adjourned till March 16,2022 for further hearing.