22yr-old Nkeiruka Winifred, has been arrainged by Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Abakaliki, for marrying two men.
Also arraingned were 47yr-old Chijioke Obasi, and 30yr-old Stanley Mbam, for alleged involvement in unlawful marriage. They were brought before the court on Monday, on three counts charges of conspiracy, bigamy and fraud.
The woman’s first husband, was the person that dragged the suspects to court for fraud, conspiracy and bigamy (a situation whereby a woman is married to two husbands after contracting a statutory marriage).
It was scooped that the woman allegedly went into another marriage with the second husband Mbam, while her marriage with the first man, Dr Solomon Nwankwo, was still valid.
Chijoke as gathered posed as the woman’s family and collected bride price from Mbam, hence, his arraignment.
The accused persons allegedly committed the offence at Hausa Quarters and Mbam Street, in the Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, on October 26, 2019.
According to the police prosecutor, ASP Mathias Eze, 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.
“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,” according to the charge sheet.
