A 69-year-old widow, Maria Nwali, is seeking justice as Roseline Uchenna and her four children—Samuel, Chinasa, Uzoamaka, and Chukwu Uchenna—face arraignment at the Family Law Centre in Abakaliki for allegedly demolishing her home.
During the proceedings on Thursday, the chairperson of the Centre, Elizabeth Nwali, ordered the immediate reconstruction of the demolished house and directed that Maria be allowed to return to her late husband’s home. She also held the Uchenna family responsible for the unlawful destruction of Maria’s property and scheduled another hearing for May 7, calling for village elders to help mediate the dispute.
Maria recounted her experience, explaining that she was married to the late Otta Nwali, and despite having no children, she lived peacefully until a disagreement between her relative, Chinyere, and Roseline escalated. She claimed she was attacked and forcibly evicted by Roseline and her children, who also destroyed her belongings, including food and money.
“I have faced unbearable hardship since the passing of our husbands,” Maria said. “After the disagreement, Roseline and her children began making life difficult for me. They attacked me and destroyed my property.”
Maria has called on the Centre to ensure she is compensated for her losses.
In her defense, Roseline admitted that her children were involved in the demolition but accused Maria of harboring a guest who caused unrest in the home. She claimed she had previously asked Maria to remove the guest to avoid further conflict.
Chairperson Elizabeth Nwali also addressed Maria’s failure to manage the situation with her guest and emphasized the importance of involving community elders for a fair resolution.
Leave a Reply