By Standard Reporter
A Bomet court has placed a married woman under a two-year probation for marrying another man before dissolving her first union.
Florence Chelangat, 31, was found guilty of fraudulently marrying John Maritim while she was legally married to another man.
Maritim, a primary school teacher, is married to two other wives with whom he has sired children and paid dowry in accordance with the Kipsigis customary laws.
Chelangat was charged with committing the offence on December 12, 2007, at Bomet DC’s office.
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She is said to have gone to Siongiroi assistant chief’s office to formally register their intention to marry, but the administrator knew she was married and declined to grant her wish.
Chelangat and Maritim then went to the neighbouring Sugumek assistant chief’s office where they were issued with a marriage notification letter and used it to solemnise their marriage at the DC’s office.
Kept certificate
After the ceremony, Chelangat declined to hand over the marriage certificate to her new husband and insisted on keeping it.
A newly-wed couple receives their marriage certificate. A married woman has been convicted for duping a man to marry her before dissolving her first marriage. Photo: Martin Mukangu/Standard |
"I was further shocked to discover that the couple had sired three children yet she did not disclose the fact," Maritim told Bomet Senior Resident Magistrate Timothy Okello.
But Chelangat who was represented by, Joseph Koech, said she had sired the children with a Mr David Ngetich but was never formally married to him.
She pleaded for leniency saying she had three children who were dependent on her.
Okello, while handing down judgment, said the prosecution had proved beyond any reasonable doubt that Chelangat had lied.
