A Nigerian woman who claims she was duped into marrying a billionaire
who was already wed is to fight on against a divorce court order that
she must pay the tycoon’s £100,000 legal bill.
Mercy
Ogbedo thought her dreams had come true in 2002 when she went through a
spectacular wedding to Nigerian shipping magnate Moses Taiga.
Mrs
Ogbedo, 45, of Finchley, has two children by Mr Taiga, who owns a
string of London properties, and says it was only later that she found
her husband already had a wife. For more than a decade she has
petitioned UK divorce courts for financial support from him.
But
last year a judge ruled that, des- pite her being “of limited means”,
she could not be awarded a penny in maintenance from Mr Taiga. In
addition she was ordered to pay an estimated £100,000 towards his legal
bills.
Challenging that ruling in the Appeal Court, her
barrister Timothy Scott, QC, said the lavish 2002 ceremony “duped” her
into thinking she was a lawfully wedded wife. He said that soon after
her wedding she found that in 1974 Mr Taiga wed at an Anglican church in
neighbouring Benin. “She ought to be permitted to apply for financial
relief in Eng- land by virtue of that ceremony,” he said.
Mr
Scott added that although more than one wife is permitted in Nigeria,
Mr Taiga’s 1974 church wedding invalidated the 2002 marriage. However, a
Nigerian court found the 2002 ceremony was not just invalid but a
“non-marriage”.
In October last year the High Court in London
ruled that English courts could not hand Mrs Ogbedo partof Mr Taiga’s
fortune. The Appeal Court refused to overturn the judgment, though Lord
Justice McFarlane said he had “real sympathy for the wife’s position”.
However she was granted permission to appeal against the legal costs bill.
Mr Taiga has ended his 1974 marriage and wed a third woman, Yinka — with whom he has quadruplets.
Mr
Taiga, who is also a Grandmaster in the Nigerian arm of the Freemasons,
has been pursuing parallel proceedings in the African courts.
Last
year a Nigerian court found that the 2002 ceremony was not just invalid
but a 'non-marriage' and she has no rights over his fortune.
The
Court of Appeal in London has refused to overrule that decision,
although Lord Justice McFarlane said he had 'real sympathy' for her
predicament and has given her the right to appeal paying his £100,000
legal bill in the latest hearing.
The full hearing of Mrs Ogbedo's challenge to the costs order will take place at a later date.
Since
splitting up with Mrs Ogbedo, Mr Taiga has ended his 1974 marriage and
married a third woman, Yinka Taiga - with whom he has quadruplets.
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