By Callistus Agwaza in Jalingo
The burial of former Chief Judge of Taraba state, Filibus Andetur, has been suspended indefinitely following family feud.
This follows demands by Chief Timothy Andetur, senior brother of the late judge, that the deceased’s wife, Mrs Destiny Courage, must explain the “cause” of her husband’s death.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday in Jalingo, Chief Andetur said relations of the late judge were not suspicious of the circumstances surrounding his death on March 21, 2024.
The late chief judge died four days after he was recommended for compulsory retirement by the National Judicial Council (NJC) on March 17, 2024.
The NJC had reconnended Andetur for retirement based on the findings of an investigative committee in respect of a petition written against him by Senator Muhammed Sanusi Dagash.
The judge was accused of failing to deliver judgement in Suit No: TRSJ/134/17 between Mallam Kassim Yahaya Ahmad vs Shittu Wurmo & Shuwari Farms Limited 30 months after the adoption of final addresses by the parties.
Widow of the late judge is however being accused for refusing to inform family members when her fell sick.
Chief Andetur said a petition had been submitted to the Taraba state police commissioner on the questionable circumstance in which the judge died.
He alleged that his late brother’s wife denied family members access to his house for the over three months that he was sick in Jalingo? adding that she singlehandedly smuggled him to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, Adamawa state, where he eventually died.
“It is worrisome that even when the former Chief judge invited his to his house during his sickness, the wife invited the police who arrested and detained him, claiming that her husband had placed an order not to allow any of his relations come close to his house,” the senior brother alleged.
According to Chief Andetur, family members only got to know about the death of their brother when the authorities of the FCM Yola, refused to accept the corpse at the mutuary, demanding the presence of the family members.
He added that it was after the hospital refused to accept the corpse that the wife later called some relations in Jalingo and disclosed the news of the death.
He said the wife was advised to go to her late husband’s village, Bika near Takum, to inform them about the sad news to the elders before any of the relations would have to accompany her to deposit the corpse in the mogue.
Chief Andetur said few days after the relations moved the corpse to the FMC Jalingo, preparatory for burial, the wife bared family members from entering his house, claiming that she contracted a court marriage and therefore, must take possesion of all the property of her late husband.
He accused the wife of looting the property of the late judge, especially a Prado Jeep and a Toyota Camry which she allegedly moved out of the house on the eve of their travel to Yola before the CJ’s death.
This according to him, suggests that she had a hand in the death of his brother.
“I want to place on record that this woman, Destiny Courage, is not the only wife of my late brother.
“My late brother’s first wife, Mrs. Margaret Andetur got married to him in 1983, and the marriage still subsists because there has not been any legal divorce between them.
“Destiny only got married to my brother just three years ago and now she is fighting to take possession of all his property after his mysterious death.”
However, in her petition to the Commissioner of Police through her counsel, Joshua Jeremiah, Courage claimed that he late husband’s relations were threatening her life.
In the petition, she requested the police to prevent the relations of her late husband from entering the house and she should be allowed to mourn him.
She insisted that she was legally married to the deceased in court adding that before he died, he told her that he had a serious misunderstanding with his own relations and he would not like to see them in his house.
