Ways of catching fake parents before they take off with your bride price

City lawyer Rita Kaloki says that a groom to be who is conned by fake relatives can sue as,“this is a case of obtaining money through false pretence. He can sue the fake family, together with the potential wife who would be enjoined as an accomplice.”

She told The Nairobian that serving the fake family can be tricky due to difficulties in tracking them to serve them with summons.

But here are ways of catching fake parents before they take off with your bride price:

1. Pre-visits

You can always insist on random visits to the woman’s family before taking your bride price delegation there. This makes hiring relatives tricky for the woman.

2. Talk to her pals

Not all friends are willing to lie and even if they do, they can’t always be consistent. If their stories don’t add up, then that’s a red flag. Be careful about a chick whose friends you don’t know.

3. Ati she has no relatives

Not unless she was brought up in the streets or in a children’s home, she must have relatives. Don’t buy stories that they disappeared in that Malaysian Airlines plane. Her sisters, cousins and nephews will spill something, a hint. Watch out if they never call her.

Relatives are communal. And they must have childhood stories about her.

4. You don’t look alike

If there is no resemblance among her family members, think twice. Even distant relatives have a way of having a similar doorknob nose, bat-like ears or mguu bata.

5. Rushed negotiations

Beware if the family is in a hurry to accept your bride price without haggling. Most negotiations get heated and the groom’s family would even walk away while others demand second meetings to finalise negotiations. Be wary if the ‘chief uncle’ has no proverbs, wise sayings, or family stories to spice up his tales.