Narrating her ordeal Betty Dennis said Sensing a great danger to her life and that of her two children, she reportedly disappeared to unknown location for possible safety after submitting a petition to the police and seeing the influential approach of the family to sweep the matter under the carpet
It was gathered that prior to the death of Mr. Dennis Zachary, the husband of Betty, who was killed by a hit and run driver sometimes last November, the widow have been going through hell from her husband’s family members, a situation described by many as “unthinkable cruelty”.
Speaking with our crime reporter on the genesis of her ordeal in her hiding, the mother of two, said she is a woman who, after losing her heartthrob was met with cruelty, threats, and isolation from the people (her husband’s family) who originally should have stood by her and her children.
“While my husband was still alive, I was so hated by my husband’s people to the point that they physically assaulted me at will. But my husband was always coming to my rescue and assuring me of his love “, Betty told our Correspondent soberly.
When asked what could have been responsible for the hate, she revealed that it was occasioned by the rejection of her husband to marry the woman introduced to him by his family adding that Dennis’ family accused her (Betty ) of using voodoo to marry their son.
She revealed further that her woes became compounded by the death of her husband, disclosing that on the day of Dennis’ death, his family members rushed to the hospital before her to take possession of all that was found with Kazeem
“On the day my husband died, some of my husband’s family members got to the hospital before me and the hospital staff handed over everything found on my husband to them including his phones, wallet containing ATM cards, wrist watch, wedding ring, sunshield.
“The first thing they could do was to start withdrawing money from my husband’s account using his ATM card.
“They deposited his body in the mortuary and started making burial preparations without my knowledge as his wife. No one informed me of what was happening. No one involved me in anything”, the widow stated.
According to Betty, her husband’s family members came to inform her of the need for her to perform a ritual in order to prove that she had no hand in the death of her husband.
Betty narrated: “My husband’s family members told me that the ritual would required me to bath in front of my husband elder sister’s house. They said I would need to do this every night, at exactly 12 midnight, for seven days . And I must mix sand and salt with the water.
“Also, they told me that my late husband’s younger brother need to be there while I’m bathing and I would need to re marry the brother according to their tradition and because my children were too young to be left for me alone.
“However, I told them, clearly, that I married my husband Dennis as a Christian, hence, I cannot do what they are asking me to do as its completely against my religious beliefs.
“While I was still grappling with the death of my husband, my body and spirit completely worn down, I was placed on medication to help me sleep.
“I was physically and emotionally exhausted, and my world felt like it was spinning out of control. In the midst of that chaos, something even darker began to happen to me.
“While I was sleeping in the guest room where I was relocated to by my husband’s family after locking me out of the room I shared with my husband, a friend of mine walked into the guest room and saw someone touching me inappropriately while sleeping
“My friend was shocked and confused. She couldn’t recognize the person clearly, just a male figure but she raised an alarm. By the time others arrived, whoever it was had vanished.
“No one could find a trace of the person. But something in the air shifted. After that incident, we became suspicious. My mother, worried and heartbroken decided to sleep on the other bed in the room every night, determined to protect me.
“Then one night, it happened again, while I and my mother were asleep in the room with the kids, my mother woke up and saw a man again, a male figure touching me, trying to violate my space and my body. She screamed for help
“The intruder ran off, disappearing just like the first time, hence I became more worried about my safety and that of my children.
“My mother later accused Dennis’ family members of attempting to rape her daughter even in the midst of mourning.
“Her voice trembled with rage and sorrow as she asked how any human being could be so cruel, so heartless, and so wicked.
“Pathetically, his family members responded with violence, denying that no one entered the room. They heavily descended on me and my mother. They didn’t care that I was mourning.
“They further threatened to eliminate me and my mother boasting that I will never have access to my late husband’s property.
“I was later rushed to the hospital by some good samaritans wherein I was admitted due to BP issues. I was bullied, harassed, shamed and tormented at will by my husband’s people.
“Then came the day of the burial. While others had gone to the mortuary to bring Dennis’ body home, some members of his family came to the house and started beating me, demanding that I release my children to them. But for the help of sympathizers.
“I later received a call from my husband’s younger brother, the one they were projecting to re-marry me after my husband’s funeral.
“He told me that his family has decided since I was being stubborn, they were going to bury my husband without letting me see the corpse.
“He said I still have a chance only if I agree to marrying him, he will be able to convince his people to let me see my husband’s corpse. But I did not yield to his request. And true to his words, they buried Dennis without letting me and my children see him. We were only allowed to throw sand in the grave.
“On Saturday, after the funeral, my father-in-law called me and threatened he will make sure that I am disinherited since I am proving stubborn and am refusing to mourn his son and perform the ritual as his tradition demands.
“He said with the way I am going, I will not live to tell my stories and he will make sure of that”, Betty narrated.
It was gathered that the whole episode has taken a dangerous dimension as gunmen suspected to be hired assassins recently trailed Betty to her mother’s house, apparently with the Intent to eliminate her.
According to report, the hoodlums vowed to spread their dragnet across the nooks and crannies of the country even abroad, threatening that they will never rest until their target ( Betty) is sent six feet below the ground.
Contacted for comment, the police authorities confirmed the report, disclosing that it has commenced preliminary investigation into the incident and no arrest has been made in connection to incident
The public relations officer Emmanuel Ogboees however said for now , the whereabouts of Mrs. Betty Dennis and her two children remain Unknown.
However a close source to the police authority says she had probably fled for fear of being harmed and intimated by the influential family of the Zachary,s and the fear of the forceful taken over of the two children.
