In violation of Article 20 of Law No. 2019-570 of June 26, 2019, regarding marriage, LOBA Pierre, the 5th Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Attécoubé, officiated the marriage of NOGBOU Agré Barthelemy and TOURE Deborah Anne-Marie at the Bingerville Hotel Complex on Saturday, August 12, 2023.
Marriages are supposed to be celebrated publicly at the headquarters of the district or civil status center of the residence or domicile of one of the future spouses, as stipulated by this article. However, if valid reasons exist, the Republic’s Prosecutor may authorize the celebration at a location outside the headquarters of the district or civil status center on an exceptional basis. In such cases, it is necessary to read this authorization at the beginning of the ceremony and to mention it in the marriage certificate.
In a statement, the Republic’s Prosecutor at the First Instance Court in Abidjan declared that the marriage was celebrated in violation of the aforementioned provisions and will be annulled in accordance with Article 26 of the marriage law.
“Considering the above, the Court will be seized for the purpose of annulling this marriage, in accordance with Articles 26 and 27 of the marriage law. In addition, disciplinary and criminal actions will be taken against the civil status officer officiating. The Republic’s Prosecutor reminds civil status officers and future spouses who violate the provisions of Article 20 of the marriage law that they are subject to imprisonment ranging from two (2) to ten (10) years and a fine of 200,000 to 2,000,000 CFA francs, in accordance with Article 307 of the penal code,” the statement, signed by Koné Braman Oumar, Magistrate Out of Hierarchy, Republic’s Prosecutor, affirmed.
