Anthony Okorodas |
A Delta State High Court judge, Anthony Okorodas, has disclosed that DNA tests have recently revealed that he is not the biological father of three children from his marriage with his former wife.
Mr
Okorodas, who was appointed a judge in 2018, disclosed this in a statement
which he issued on Thursday, January 28.
The judge
in the statement which only circulated online on Monday, said his former wife,
Celia, walked away from the marriage when the youngest child, now 17 years old,
was just six.
Mr
Okorodas described the development as traumatic, especially as he and his
current wife had been wholly responsible for the well-being and the education
of the three children, two of whom are university undergraduates, since their
mother walked away 11 years ago.
Mr
Okorodas, who noted that he had had four children with his current wife, said
he first got information from an anonymous source indicating that the three
children were not his during the COVID-19 lockdown in April 2020.
He,
however, said he was only able to confirm the claim to be true through the DNA
test in August 2020.
He stated,
“I have taken the decision to address the press in respect of certain traumatic
developments that have arisen between me and my ex-wife, Barrister Celia Juliet
Ototo of the Ototo Family of Ovom in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa
State.
“It is now
nearly 11 years since our separation and divorce. This press statement is
important in order to prevent damaging speculations, half-truths and outright
lies from persons who may want to cash in on the tragedy that has befallen my
home.