A 50-year-old woman, Bolanle Adeyemo, has been sentenced to one year in a correctional centre for unlawfully possessing and forging a marriage certificate.

The Mapo Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, handed down the sentence on Friday after Adeyemo pleaded guilty to the charges.

The President of the court, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, said the conviction was based on the defendant’s guilty plea and the evidence presented by the prosecution.

Adeyemo was sentenced to one year in the correctional centre on each of counts two and three, with an option of one month of community service. She was, however, discharged on the first count of conspiracy.

The case arose from a divorce suit filed by her husband, Adeboye Adeyemo, 55, on March 26 over alleged misunderstandings in their marriage.

In an attempt to prevent the dissolution of the marriage, Bolanle claimed that she had a valid marriage with her husband and tendered a marriage certificate dated September 12, 1996, as evidence.

Her husband challenged the authenticity of the document, prompting the court to order a police investigation.

According to the prosecutor, Insp. Ayodele Ayeni, the investigation revealed that the Ibadan North Local Government registry, which was listed as the issuing authority on the certificate, denied ever issuing the document to the couple.

The prosecution said the certificate was therefore established to be fake.

The offences were said to contravene Sections 516, 465 and 430 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 38, Volume II, Laws of Oyo State 2000.