gavel and court

Family Shocked As Man Seeks To Nullify 11-Year Marriage, Claims Prior Union Exists

A middle aged man Mr. Glenn Niabari Lebari has filed a suit before a Rivers State High Court praying the court to declare his marriage to Mrs. Patricia Lebari (formerly Miss Patricia Wigwe) a nullity after 11 years of marriage and after giving birth to four beautiful children from the marriage.

Mr. Glenn Lebari who was resident in the United States with his family returned the family back to Nigeria in 2022 for a visit and insisted that his wife and four children should stay back in Nigeria while he returns to the US to continue with his cab business.

This position was not suitable to his wife Mrs. Patricia Lebari who insisted on returning back to the US with the children as the children are all US citizens by birth and bearing US passports.

This disagreement led to disputes between the couples which prompted Mr. Glenn Niabari Lebari to file a suit before a Rivers State High Court asking the court to declare the marriage a nullity since as he claimed, he was still married to one Maureen Lebari Nee Neboh when he married Mrs. Patricia Lebari. He is ironically also asking for exclusive sole custody of the four children of the โ€œillegal marriageโ€

Speaking to one of the relations of the wife, Mr. Robert Wigwe, he stated that the family were astonished when they discovered that Mr. Glenn is now claiming that the marriage to their sister which took place at the Emuoha, Marriage Registry, Emuoha Local Government Area, Rivers State is now illegal after eleven years and four children. That the question the family has been asking is was he not aware that he was married to another woman before he came and married their sister? Mr. Robert stated that he has been advised to send the children of the illegal marriage back to the Wigwe family, a demand he has refused to comply with. He stated further that Mr. Glenn wants to eat his cake and still have it.

When contacted, Counsel to Mrs. Patricia Lebari, S. Long Williams Esq informed our correspondent that since the matter is pending in court, he will not want to make any comment on it for now.

The suit comes up next on Friday 24th January, 2025 before the Okrika High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.