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Casual flirt leads to forced marriage

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Published on Saturday, 30 August 2008 17:27

What began as a good fortune for James Mogaka, 27, turned an unbearable burden within days. What he took as a casual flirt with a fellow matatu passenger took a dramatic twist when the woman forced him to marry her.

It all began when he met the woman in a Kawangware Route 46 matatu in the city as he headed to work in the morning. She was smart and extraordinarily pretty. For the first time, James had no complaints about the traffic jam.

He relished every moment and she clung to every word he said. Craving to meet her again, he asked for her details that she hesitated to give. She, however, told him she was a student at a secretarial college in town.  Smitten by the curvaceous frame and charming smiles, he found himself pouring out details about his workplace, his phone number, his ‘single’ status and date of birth.

That day before leaving office, he called her for a coffee date and to his delight, she agreed to meet him at a restaurant in town.  At the rendezvous, they got acquainted with each other more and he invited her to his house ‘some time later’.

But the date had a better suggestion – they should go right away. Believing he was the luckiest man on earth, they hopped into the next 46 matatu and headed to Kawangware.

permanent resident

The next morning, he was at pains to convince her to leave. She said she was suffering from some ailment he could not comprehend. Afterwards, at her request, he agreed to leave her in the house and left for work, late.

In the evening, he arrived and found her still in bed. He again tried to talk her to leave but she could hear none of it. Feeling helpless, James resolved to play along, hoping to throw her out soon. But when the third day found her still with him, he began getting jittery.

One morning, hoping to shake her off, he waited until she had gone for the shop and changed his padlock before leaving for work. But in the evening, his heart skipped a beat, when she called, informing him that she was waiting in the house.

Not keen to spend another night with her, James went to a friend’s place for the night. When he came back, the girl was still there.

That evening, he was appalled when he stumbled upon the woman’s identity card and other documents that showed she was seven years her senior – and married.

relocated

He was crestfallen as it dawned on him that she had given him a fake name. She was not even a student. When he asked her about it, she tactfully disarmed him with sweet words and smiles.  With the help of a friend, James secretly relocated to Uthiru when the woman was away and changed his phone number. When two days passed without a word from her, he knew that he had found peace at last.

Two weeks ago, he arrived at home only to find her sitting at his doorstep with the door open. Surprised, he was helpless as she embraced him and planted several kisses on his lips before leading him into the house.

James, who has a family back home in Kisii is currently living with the woman, who claims to be his wife, his prayer is that something happens before word reaches his wife and parents. Neighbours say they are happily married.