By Mabinty M. Kamara
The Archbishop of the Freetown Catholic Archdiocese, Edward Tamba Charles has responded to recent talks around the legality of the proposed Catholic wedding between President Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio.
In a rare press statement on Thursday, Father Charles said it was legal for President Bio to marry Fatima Bio in a Catholic church.
Bio is a Christian who is attached to the Catholic denomination. His wife, Fatima is a Muslim. They both got married under a civil administration.
Archbishop Charles said that about three years ago President Bio presented his divorce certificate in his previous marriage, which was obtained from the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States.
He said Bio then expressed a desire to rectify his marriage status.
“The catholic respects those who contract civil marriage and the rights privileges and duties that arise from it but does not consider it as sacramental marriage. Mr. Bio was aware of this position of the Catholic Church and therefore sought to rectify his marital situation in order to fully have access to the sacramental life of the Catholic Church and the grace derived from it,” the statement says.
There have been reports that Bio’s former wife, Frances is claiming that her marriage with Bio is recognized by the Catholic Church. In the statement on Thursday, the Church has now denied those claims.
“Objections were raised against Mr. Bio getting married again in the Catholic Church because of a previous marriage that was contracted according to catholic rites. I personally investigated the matter in order to avoid any embarrassment to the Catholic Church, to myself as a catholic Arch Bishop, and to the parties involved in the proposed marriage: namely Mr. Julius Maada Bio and Mrs. Fatima Bio”, the statement continues, adding: “First, I contacted Mrs Frances Bio by phone and in the ensuring conversation she admitted that she and Mr. Bio got married in Kenema sometime between 1992 and 1993. According to her, the marriage was registered in the marriage register of the ST. Paul’s Cathedral Parish. I later contacted the two priests, but both denied ever participating in the said marriage between Mr. Julius Maada Bio and Mrs. Francess Bio (Nee Zoker).”
The church said they had checked the diocese register from 1977 to now but they had not seen any record to suggest the marriage was ever consecrated by the Catholic Church.
Bio is set to marry Fatima at a Catholic ceremony later today, in the capital Freetown.
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