A 22-year-old woman, Nkeiruka Winifred, has been dragged before an Ebonyi State Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Abakaliki, for marrying two men at same time.
It was gathered that Nkeiruka allegedly married 30-year-old Stanley Mbam, while her marriage with one Dr Solomon Nwankwo, is still subsisted.
Nkeiruka and Mbam were arraigned before the court on Monday, alongside one Chijioke Obasi, 47, who was allegedly involved in the unlawful marriage.
We learnt that the accused persons committed the offence at Hausa Quarters and Mbam Street, in the Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, on October 26, 2019.
The three suspects were charged on three counts of conspiracy, fraud and bigamy which is the situation whereby a woman is married to two husbands after contracting a statutory marriage.
The police prosecutor, ASP Mathias Eze, told the court that the offence was punishable under sections 516A (a), 370 and 419 (A) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
The charge read: “That you Nkeiruka Winifred ‘f’, Chijioke Obasi ‘m’ and Stanley Mbam ‘m’ all of Hausa Quarters and Mbam Street respectively, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District, on October 28, 2019, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; bigamy and thereby commit an offence punishable under section 516A (a) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you Nkeiruka Winifred ‘f’, Stanley Mbam ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did contract a fresh marriage with one another when the union between Nkeiruka Winifred ‘f’ and one Dr Solomon Nwankwo contracted on September 28, 2017, at the Magistrate’s Court Registry Ozubulu Nnewi, Anambra State, still subsists and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 370 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
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