Uganda: Police arrest girl, 14, married off after father received goat, cash from groom
The Ugandan police recently stopped a wedding ceremony of a 14-year-old girl and man.
According to local media reports, officers stormed the ceremony and foiled the marriage of the young teen to her 22-year-old “lover”.
The bride, who was said to be four months pregnant and a secondary school drop out, was given away in marriage by her parents after they got Shs200,000 and a goat as bride price.
Their marriage plans were thwarted when the police surprised the couple with an arrest just as they were about to leave, while relatives and guests reportedly dispersed for safety sake.
Eyewitnesses said police came around just after the traditional wedding ceremony.
The arrested bride later denied being underage and claims to be 18. She accused the police of disrupting her wedding.
“I am not young and I don’t know why police disrupted our function,” reports quoted her to have said.
“I love my husband and. I asked my parents’ permission to get married,” she reportedly said.
Her parents are reportedly standing by their daughter’s claims, saying they married her off on her request.
“She dropped out of school and told us that she wanted to get married to the man who was responsible for her pregnancy and as a Muslim, I had no objection,” her father, Ngobi reportedly said.
The groom, Talyaki Swaliki who had been in the relationship with the bride for two years, claimed he did not know she was 14 and only paid the demanded bride price to marry her. He was also arrested.
Police confirmed the parents would be charged with marrying off an underaged girl.
Some community residents have, however, stormed the police station requesting the release of the couple.
