70-year-old granted 21 days to reconcile with wife

A Nakuru court has granted a 70-year old man 21 days to reconcile with his wife or else prepare himself for a divorce suit.

Senior Resident Magistrate Yvonne Khatambi recommended reconciliation between Joel Lang’at and his 64-year old wife Joyce Chemutai.

This is after Lang’at pleaded with the court to grant him a month to settle a divorce suit against him outside court.

“I have spoken to my wife and she has agreed to settle the matter outside court because it has become a public interest case,” he said.

Ms Chemutai was however not in court to respond on the claims by his husband.

“The respondent has 21 days to comply with the reconciliation of his marriage before the mention on February 26,” ruled Ms Khatambi.  

Lang’at is fighting a divorce suit filed against him by his wife.

Chemutai is seeking to divorce Lang’at for demanding a share of their daughter's bride price.

In her petition, Chemutai wants the court to stop Lang’at from demanding a share of the bride price, arguing that he abandoned them.

The two are said to have separated for more than 20 years. They were joined on January 31, 1992 at the registrar of marriages after living together for years.

However, they went their separate ways two years later following disagreements and domestic wrangles.

Chemutai said Lang’at didn’t talk to each other until early 2017 when he contacted her demanding a share of what she was given as their daughter's bride price.

Chemutai said she had not sought support from Lang'at, who she said should therefore keep off.

"The main reason I am filing this petition is to stop him (Lang'at) from benefiting from our daughter's bride price since he abandoned her while she was still young," said Chemutai.

“The respondent deserted the petitioner without cause or consent. He withdrew from cohabitation with the petitioner and denied her conjugal rights at their matrimonial home in Salgaa, Rongai sub-county within Nakuru County,” reads the petition.

Chemutai claimed that she fled to her parents’ home together with her three children to escape torture by Lang'at.

 Since then, she said, she has been taking care of the children, including paying their school fees and hustling for their upkeep money.

She says she was deprived of comfort after Lang'at moved on and married another wife.

However, Lang’at accused Chemutai of lying, and said he was the victim in their separation.

“I never deserted my wife. In fact, she is the one who deserted me, cut off communication and denied me the chance to be with my children and take care for them,” claimed Lang’at.