Reprieve for wife forced to work as barmaid

A woman who separated from her husband saying he forced her to work as a barmaid after their wedding has won reprieve after the High Court in Nairobi granted her estranged husband’s wish to dissolve the marriage.

According to the woman, she was exposed to an environment that caused her health complications.

She argues that her husband took her to his parents’ rural home that is quite remote and abandoned her there while the petitioner was living at Gongoni in Kilifi County.

The woman alleged that after the solemnization of their marriage, the husband took her to a bar and employed her as a barmaid.

She stated that she was denied conjugal rights and subjected to emotional and mental anguish.

The man, however, alleged that the woman has been having affairs with several other men, adding that she abandoned the children and he has been single-handedly taking care of the children.

The court, in its decision, ruled that the man has proved his case, adding that the parties have lived separately for over six years.

“That is enough reason to have the marriage dissolved. The marriage between the parties has irretrievably broken down and cannot be brought back to life. The marriage is hereby dissolved,” ruled Justice Chitembwe.

According to the court documents, the parties got married on October 17, 1998, under the African Christian Marriage and Divorce Act. The marriage was blessed with two children. The first-born is 20-years-old while the second born is 15-years-old.

The man, however, filed for divorce on the 16^th of May, 2016, seeking to have the marriage dissolved, an application that was not objected by the wife.