Failed marriage: Man demands return of dowry from father-in-law

By Aisha Gambo

A 32-year-old suitor Ahmad Sani, on Thursday prayed a Sharia Court in Magajin Gari in Kaduna State, to help him recover the N340,000 he allegedly paid as dowry to his would-be in-law.

Sani told the court that the would be father-in-law, Alhassan Malam, should return his money because his daughter has  refused to marry him.

The complainant said he had sought Sumayya Malam’s hand in marriage from her father, who gave his consent and demanded N20,000 as dowry, excluding other traditional expenses.

Sani said he was shocked when Malam cancelled the wedding due to “my alleged inability to provide a decent shelter for his daughter.”

“After paying the dowry and other traditional expenses which amounted to N340,000, I took her daughter to the house I rented, but I later learnt that she didn’t like the house,” he said.

Sani prayed the court to help him recover all the money he spent for the failed marriage since the defendant had refused him to marry his daughter.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr Alhassan Aliyu, argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear a case involving the recovery of money over N100,000 as stipulated by Section 22 of the Sharia law, Kaduna state.

Aliyu  prayed the court to transfer the case to an upper Sharia court or dismiss the case.

The Judge, Malam- Dahiru Lawal, transferred the case to an Upper Sharia court for lack of jurisdiction