-The case of Mrs. Kemah Yancy Tolie, Lorpu Sumo, the traditional marriage controversy
By Jerromie S. Walters
Since the disclosure of Mrs. Kemah Yancy Tolie Lorpu Sumoand Bornard Tolie, many have argued that Bornard Tolie, the husband of Kemah Tolie, shouldn’t have been placed behind bars, because he has the legal right (s) to have a second wife, considering that he did a traditional wedding with her (Kemah), before the European wedding.
Mrs. Kemah Yancy Tolie, a current resident of ELWA, Palm Bush Community, who got traditionally married 2015 and subsequently did her European wedding on June 17, 2016, at Tubman United Methodist Church in Duport road, is struggling to maintain the broken leg of her seven years marriage thatnearly lost breathe last Saturday, when her husband, Bornard Tolie, was in readiness to say “I Do” to another, Lorpu Sumo, during a formal European wedding ceremony.
Enraged in agony and distress, Mrs. Kemah Yancy Tolie recently lamented circumstances surrounding her marriage that started with smiles but now crumbling in mystery, as she rallied the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, to ensure that she gets Justice.
Few years after their wedding in 2016, Mrs. Kemah YancyTolie, said the table turned in 2019, when her husband embarked on an extra affair with Lorpu Sumo, a situation that led to his departure from their matrimony home.
Mrs. Kemah Yancy Tolie: “To my utmost surprise when I knew he was getting married, I took him to court, we went two times he couldn’t come, the court gave paper to look for him and bring him. When the boys go, they can’t see him so myself started checking, the whole of yesterday I started searching because the rumors were too much.”
She stated- “Last night a girl called me and said the reception was to be held at Dorcas Event Hall, so we came we started checking, my brothers, my sisters we started chasing him, we found the church so when I got to the church, I had my certificate and pictures so I was going inside the lady stopped me, I said I needed to see the pastor but he told me to wait so I stood up but they wanted to proceed because the men were already sitting and the ladies were about to go because the girl was near the door so I walked in the church, when I was walking the man said what you want so I said I have my property in the church.”
At said moment, she said her husband who they both got wedded in 2016, was getting married to another lady. As she asserted efforts to halt the wedding ceremony, Mrs. Kemah Yancy Tolie says she was resisted by the congestion.” I told them I went for my property, my husband is my property. Three years, in the name of spending time. When he going he will put the clothes in his bag, when he goes, he won’t return.”
Upon realizing that she couldn’t work it out alone, Mrs. Kemah Yancy Tolie, said she contacted the police and few of her relatives. “I need Justice for that and I’m appealing to Gender Ministry to seek my welfare.”
Disappointingly, she says on countless occasions, both her husband, Barnard Tolie, and his girlfriend (Lorpu) have verbally abused her.
Legal opinion
Following the disclosure of the situation, Mrs. Moriah Yeakula Korkpor, a Liberian female lawyer justified the man’s action, says he was right to marry another wife.
“Wellllllll, since she had traditional wedding before the church wedding, the man has the right to marry another wife. We’ve talked about our dual marriage system and the pros and cons for years. The first wedding you do is what counts under the law. That man should not be sleeping in jail. Dowry payment is traditional wedding.”
Moriah Yeakula Korkpor: “Y’all go free that man and mediate between them. If she wants her husband back, she gotta be ready to be 1st wife cuz he clearly wants another woman. If she can’t be 1st wife, she gotta divorce him. Sadly, she did traditional wedding first and that’s the law.”
