There was chaos at Bulyansime village in Iganga
District, Uganda when police stormed a wedding
ceremony and foiled the marriage of a 15-year-old girl
and a 22-year-old man. The ceremony which had
kicked off with excitement as the groom expected to
take the bride home turned into a fiasco when police
swung into action and arrested the parents and the
groom.
The girl is said to have dropped out of senior two and
she is currently four months pregnant.
The parents Abdu Kalimu Ngobi and Faridah Kagoya are
said to have agreed to marry off their daughter to
Talyaka Swaliki after getting Shs 200, 000 and a goat as
bride price.
Eye witnesses told Daily Monitor that by the time police
stormed the place, the bride and groom had already
performed the traditional wedding ceremony locally
referred to as Okuwowa and the couple was about to
leave.
“The bride and groom were marching to board their
waiting car amidst ululations from friends and relatives
by the time police arrived. The groom had even put a
ring on the bride’s finger as a symbol to confirm that
they had been wedded,” Mr Ayub Famba told a reporter.
More drama unfolded when a group of residents
stormed Iganga Police Station demanding for the
suspects to be released on claims that the girl was old.
Busoga East Police Region Spokesperson, Mr James
Mubi said the parents are to be charged with marrying
off an underage girl while the groom is to be charged
with defilement.
