Sister refuses to be exchanged for a wife for brother

The refusal of a sister to desert her husband and be exchanged for a woman her brother intended to marry has brought her father and two brothers into conflict with the law.

Nakoja Jawuri (father), Nakoja Yaw and Nakoja Nkote (brothers) have pleaded guilty to kidnapping, assault and resisting arrest before the Nkwanta District Tribunal chaired by Mr. Emmanuel Kwaku Quist Agbezuge. Another charge of rape, which was also brought against the three, was however, referred to the Attorney General's Department for advice.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector A. K. Somevi, said one of Nakoja Jawuri's sons wanted to marry and informed their father of the requirement that he would have to exchange his sister for the woman he intended to marry as custom demanded. Chief Inspector Somevi said Nakoja Jawuri and his two sons decided that the two brothers should go for their sister, who has been married for five years to one Mr. Twabi, a farmer at Taapiapura village. Their sister (name not given), however, refused to co-operate with her brothers, who beat her up severely.

Chief Inspector Somevi said Nakoja Jawuri intervened to have the matter settled at home when the misconduct of his sons was reported to the Police. Chief Inspector Somevi said the two brothers hatched a plot to waylay their sister while on her way to the market. Chief Inspector Somevi said on February 23, the two brothers and their father managed to kidnap their sister's rival, Mabitam Nledi and Mr. Twabi's elder brother's wife, Matombe Baletum on their way to market because their sister did not attend market that day. Chief Inspector Somevi said when Mr. Twabi waited for the whole day without the return of his wife and his sister-in-law, he decided to conduct investigations, during which he learnt that the two women were kidnapped by his brothers-in-law and their father. Chief Inspector Somevi said Mr. Twabi made a report to the Nkwanta Police, who detailed three Policemen to go with him to arrest the accused persons. When the team reached the accused persons' village, they beat up Mr. Twabi mercilessly but the Police managed to whisk the two women, who looked exhausted away and were later joined by Mr. Twabi and taken to Nkwanta. The accused persons were convicted on their own plea but sentence was deferred to June 7. Nakoja was granted 600,000 cedis bail while his children were remanded in custody.

Among some ethnic groups exchanging sisters for marriage purposes is a normal practice. In some cases the brother of a married woman collects outstanding dowry in the form of cattle from in-laws, when he comes of age to enable him to also give it to the parents of his wife to be.