Kakamega man sues ‘wife snatching’ church official
By BENSON AMADALAA Kakamega trader has sued a church official for allegedly cohabiting with his wife.
In a plaint filed in court, Peter Otieno Karani, aged 58, claims that his wife Sophia Moraa Karani abandoned her matrimonial home in Butali sub-location Kakamega North sub-county in 2013 and has been living with the defendant Mark Chitelesi Kutima.
He says he married Sophia under the Luhya customary law and paid three cows and Sh 15,000 as part of dowry negotiated with his in-laws.
The plaintiff wants the court to declare the cohabitation between his wife and the defendant as unlawful.
He claims that as a result of the defendant’s conduct, he has suffered loss of companionship of his wife and loss of conjugal rights.
The complainant says under Luhya customary law, a woman is not allowed to be married to two husbands at the same time.
The trader is demanding the return of his wife to care for their young children and a business which the woman was helping him run.
LIVED HAPPILY
Karani says he has three children with the woman whom he lived happily with from 2008 until she moved out.
When she disappeared from home, he launched investigations and established that his wife was staying with defendant. He reported the matter to Matioli location Chief and informed his parents’ in-law about the matter.
The dispute was reported to church officials in Malava and Karani petitioned them to intervene to no avail.
However, the defendant has denied the allegations and said the dowry paid by the plaintiff was meant for the children she gave birth to.
He claims the complainant had sexually molested the woman while she was working for him and they had three children.
He said Sophia fled from Karani’s home after he became hostile and threatened to attack her with a machete.
Sophia has applied through her lawyer to be enjoined in the suit. Hearing of the case has been set for Thursday April, 14, 2016.