Not all church weddings prevent polygamy - Lawyer

While many people assume that a church wedding guarantees a monogamous marriage, this may not be the case.

This information was revealed by a Managing Partner at Law Plus Attorneys-at-Law, Dennis Adjei Dwomoh, who said that having a white or church wedding does not necessarily prevent multiple spouses, this is because not all churches and pastors are licensed to perform marriages that prevent spouses from marrying multiple spouses.

According to a report by graphiconline.com, Mr Dwomoh said an unlicensed church can only perform a religious ceremony, a situation that leaves room for polygamy.

“If you perform your marriage at a church which is not licensed and the pastor is not licensed, that marriage is just a mere religious ceremony. And in that regard, your partner can decide to marry an additional man or marry an additional woman.

“At every white wedding, there is an interplay of a social event, a religious ceremony, and sometimes the statutory aspect of the marriage. So when you want to marry under church marriage, for it to be monogamous in accordance with statutes so that your husband cannot marry an additional one, there are certain requirements that you have to meet," he explained.

He entreated couples seeking a monogamous marriage through a church or white wedding to inquire if the churches and pastors are licensed to do so.

“It is important to ask the church to show you their certificate indicating that they are gazetted. So like the driver's licence, if the car has a driver's licence number, you get to see.

"You can also ask whether or not the pastor who is about to celebrate the marriage has also been gazetted. This is to enable you not to make a mistake thinking that you are getting a monogamous marriage,” he stated.

JKB/ ADG

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