July 21, 2017 By Regina Pratt
Allie Kabba
Attorney of Law from the Northern District of Illinois, Chicago, in the United States of America, Lawyer Eberechukwu Nkechinyere Nwakubu, yesterday testified before Justice Miatta Samba at the Fast Track Court, Government Wharf, in Freetown, in the ongoing bigamy matter between the State and Allie Kabba.
Lawyer Nwakubu is the first defence witness who served as Attorney for Allie Kabba on the post decree case when the latter’s former wife, Edith Cline Kabba, filed a motion in 2016, in the United States of America.
During cross examination by State Counsel, A.G.M. Bockarie, the witness said the transcript of motion filed by the former wife, Edith Cline Kabba, to re-open proofs on the grounds for a case was refused by the court.
When asked whether she was one of the attorneys in the original case, she replied “I am not the original Attorney for the case. I only came into the case of post decree when his former wife, Edith Cline Kabba, filed a motion in 2016. I am here as an expert on family and divorce issues.
The witness told the court that she has been a Lawyer for some 32 years and has practised for 20 years, majoring in family law, divorce cases, child support and any other issues that have to do with family affairs.
Lawyer Nwakubu said when the couple decided that they wanted to end their marriage; they filed for divorce in USA on petition for the dissolution of marriage and stated the grounds and irreconcilable differences including desertion and adultery.
“The other grounds is awarding child support, distributing properties and closing of the case,” she said, adding that she recognised records of proceedings in the case of Allie Kabba and his former wife, Edith Cline kabba.
The witness also said it was at the closing argument in July 2013 that the marriage ended legally.
She said Allie Kabba, who was the petitioner did not need to come to court after the discussions between him and his Attorney that, the marriage has ended and that the Attorney would continue with the rest of the issues.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Lands, Diana Konomanyi, through the state, filed a bigamy and perjury case against Mr Kabba in December 2015. If found guilty, he could be jailed for up to seven years maximum. The Sierra Leone Peoples Party strongman has denied the charges though, saying they were politically motivated.