Friday, 23 February 2024 - A British Army sergeant has been convicted of bigamy after he married a second wife in Kenya during a Sharia Law ceremony.
Sgt Noa Dravikula tied the knot with a
second woman, Kuki Wason, in an Islamic marriage while he was overseas on
deployment in the East African nation.
The 42-year-old soldier had been separated
from his first wife but not officially divorced when he sparked up his new love
affair, a court martial heard.
He was caught out by Army bosses after he expressed his 'wish' to bring Ms
Wason back to the UK with him.
At Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, Sgt
Dravikula claimed he had no idea his wedding in Kenya counted because the
service was in Swahili and he didn't understand it.
But, following a three-day trial, he was
convicted of bigamy.
Sgt Dravikula had been deployed to the
British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) facility in Nanyuki, to the north of
Nairobi, when he 'started a relationship' with Kenyan woman Kuki Wason.
In October 2021, the couple enjoyed an
Islamic marriage ceremony, called a nikah, which meant he was committing
bigamy.
British law states couples can marry if
they're both aged 18 or over and are free to marry, if they're single, widowed
or divorced, or if they were in a civil partnership which has been dissolved.
The marriage came to the attention of Army
top brass when Sgt Dravikula wanted to bring Ms Wason back to the UK with him.
Prosecutor Flight Lieutenant Charlotte
Adams told the court Sgt Dravikula married his first wife in June 2011 in a
Methodist church in Fiji.
The court heard Sgt Dravikula's first wife,
with whom he shares a child, had initiated divorce proceedings after their
separation in March 2017.
However, the divorce had not yet been
finalised and so they were not officially separated.
Flt Lt Adams said: 'He then proceeded to
marry a second individual, Kuki Wason, on October 29, 2021, whilst married to
his first wife.
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