Nursing home refuses to return 88-year-old woman to her 45-year-old husband

A man is threatening to go on a hunger strike because his wife is being held at a nursing home in the United Kingdom against her will.

Ousman Jatta, 45, placed his elderly wife in a respite care home while he went to his hometown of Gambia. However, after he returned home, she was not permitted to return to him.
Ousman Jatta married his wife Beryl, 88, in Gambia, 13 years ago. Beryl lived in Africa at the time. She ran a shop and that is where she meet Ousman. 
The two dated for 4 years before getting married in 2002. 

When Beryl became ill with dementia in 2006, the couple moved to the United Kingdom ,so that she can receive better care. 

Ousman, who is the caretaker of his wife, placed her in a nursing home while he returned to Africa for three weeks.

However, when he went to pick her up, he was informed that social services had intervened and ruled that she could not go home with him.

Beryl, who is a mother of two children, asked to go home with her husband. 

Ousman had threatened to go on hunger strike unless the City of Bristol hands his wife back to him. 

“I love her and care for her better than anyone, and I feel very sad,” he said. “To me Beryl is not an old woman, she is a human being and no matter how old or young, she is my wife,” he added. 

A spokesperson for the City of Bristol, said: “We have been in regular contact with Mr. Jatta regarding the care of his wife and we are pleased to have agreed on an appropriate plan of care with him, which puts the best interests of Ms. Jatta first.”