Woman jailed for presenting forged certificate to stop dissolution of her marriage

By Olawale Akinremi

Bolanle Adeyemo, a 50-year-old Ibadan housewife has been jailed for presenting a forged marriage certificate in court in order to stop the dissolution of her marriage.

She was sentenced to one year imprisonment by a Mapo Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Friday.

Mr Adeboye Adeyemo, 55, the husband to the now convict had on March 26, filed a divorce suit against Bolanle due to the misunderstandings between them.

However, in her attempt to save the marriage, Bolanle told the court that she had a valid marriage with Adeyemo and that it should not be dissolved.

She, therefore, tendered the forged marriage certificate to substantiate her claim.

But Adeyemo opposed the admissibility of the exhibit, arguing that no marriage certificate was issued to them on Sept. 12, 1996.

Consequently, the court ordered the police to carry out a thorough investigation to unravel the truth.

While giving report of the investigation the Prosecutor, Insp. Ayodele Ayeni noted that Bolanle tendered the marriage certificate at about 9; 00 a.m., at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Ayeni said that Bolanle tendered the forged marriage certificate before the court as evidence in a divorce suit filed against her by Adeyemo.

The prosecutor noted that the husband disputed the certificate.

The prosecution said that investigation conducted revealed that Ibadan North Local Government registry which was on the certificate denied ever issuing any marriage certificate to Bolanle and that the one in her possession was a fake.

He said that the offences contravene the provision of sections 516, 465 and 430 of the criminal code cap 38 vol. ii law of Oyo State 2000.

Bolanle later accepted that she forged the marriage certificate by pleading guilty to the allegation of forgery.

Delivering judgment, the President of the court, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, convicted and sentenced Bolanle based on her guilty plea and the evidence tendered against her by the prosecution.

Akintayo also said that the court exercised its discretion in sentencing Bolanle having pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against her.

She therefore sentenced Bolanle to one year in the correctional centre for each of counts two and three respectively or an option of one month of community service for the offences of unlawful possession and forgery of marriage certificate.

The President of the court discharged the convict of the first count of conspiracy.