An Ebonyi State High Court sitting in Abakaliki has sentenced a 39-year-old man, Chituru Mbam, to six months’ imprisonment for forcibly evicting his wife, Mbam Ozoemena, from their matrimonial home and subsequently destroying the building.
The court also ordered Mbam to pay his wife N500,000 in damages and provide her with suitable accommodation following the incident.
The judgment was delivered on Monday by Justice Ruth Okeh, who found the defendant guilty of the offence. The sentence was imposed without an option of fine.
According to reports, the couple married in 2009 and have five children. However, their relationship had reportedly experienced prolonged difficulties before the incident that led to the woman’s eviction.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of January 6, 2026, when Mbam allegedly arrived at the house with two other men and forcefully removed his wife from the property after moving into a newly completed building.
Following the eviction, the woman was reportedly arrested by the police and detained at the police headquarters in Abakaliki.
While she was in detention, Mbam allegedly dismantled the building where she had been living, removing its roof, doors, windows and other valuable items.
The incident attracted the attention of the Rose Foundation for the Protection of Women and Children, a rights organisation in Ebonyi State.
Through its Executive Secretary, Professor Mike Ajanwachukwu, the organisation petitioned the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police over the alleged actions. Mbam was subsequently arrested and arraigned before the court.
Counsel to the woman, Mrs Ijeoma Mike-Ajanwachukwu, welcomed the court’s decision, stressing that neither spouse has the right to forcibly remove the other from their matrimonial home.
She explained that the defendant’s actions violated the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, 2018, which prohibits certain forms of violence, including the forceful eviction of a spouse from a shared home.
According to the lawyer, the man allegedly used police personnel and other individuals to remove his wife from the property before proceeding to destroy the building.
She further alleged that Mbam had moved into another property with a different woman.
The lawyer described the judgment as an important step towards protecting women from domestic abuse and unlawful eviction within marriage.
In addition to the six-month prison sentence, the court directed Mbam to pay N500,000 in damages to his wife and secure appropriate accommodation for her.
The ruling highlights the legal consequences of forcibly evicting a spouse and destroying property in circumstances that violate applicable domestic violence laws.
The case also draws attention to the role of rights organisations in seeking justice for women and children affected by domestic violence in Ebonyi State.
The court’s decision reinforces the need for disputes within marriage to be addressed through lawful means rather than force, intimidation or the destruction of property.
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