A woman who claims to be late Simeon Nyachae’s wife told court that she married an American man for convenience to survive in the US.
While being cross-examined, Margaret Chweya who had earlier denied ever being married to anyone apart from Nyachae said she married for convenience.
She told court that she was a student and things were a bit hard at the time so she was advised by her friend to marry an American to help ease her burden.
Chweya said at the time she was Nyachae would delay to send her money and this would in turn derail her in her studies and that’s when she got married to her friend’s son.
She said she married James Totten her friend’s son who was only helping her with her exams and school papers but they never even met it was only on paper.
She told court that she was ready to take a lie detector test to confirm to court her claims on the issue.
“Neither did I disrespect my friend’s son either when things improved, I went to court and disolved the marriage. Your honour I am willing to be wired to detect,” she said.
She maintained that she never disrespected her late husband in that marriage but told court that she never told him about the marriage to Totten.
“Your honour I never told my late husband about the marriage but I didn’t disrespect my marriage,my husband was very supportive to me and my kids,” she said.
An emotional Chweya said at the time even now it’s common for people to marry for convenience in the US and she was aware she made a bad choice then but she had no other option.
Justice Eric Ogola further probed her on why a powerful person like Nyachae who was rich would have a hard time sending money to his her his alleged wife in the US.
Chweya said its not he was not sending but the problem was the money would delay and that would affect her studies at the university, so marrying Totten came with benefits of getting waivers on most things.
In her re-examination with her lawyer Danstan Omari, she said her husband was in the opposition at the time and maybe that’s the reason why the money delayed.
Chweya’s two sons Rodney and John Paul also testified and told court that they remember Nyachae visiting them in the US when they were young though they were very few times.
The case will resume hearing in October
