British Army sergeant, 42, is found guilty of bigamy after he married a second woman in Kenya in a Sharia Law ceremony when he hadn't divorced his first wife

• Sgt Noa Dravikula had separated from his first wife but not officially divorced 

A British Army sergeant has been convicted of bigamy after he married a second wife in Kenya during a Sharia Law ceremony.

Sgt Noa Dravikula was on overseas deployment in the African country when he tied the knot with a second woman, Kuki Wason, in an Islamic marriage.

The 42-year-old soldier had been separated from his first wife but not officially divorced when he sparked up his new love affair, a court martial heard.

He was caught out by Army bosses after he expressed his ‘wish’ to bring Ms Wason back to the UK with him.

At Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, Sgt Dravikula claimed he had no idea his wedding in Kenya counted because the service was in Swahili and he didn’t understand it.

But, following a three-day trial, he was convicted of bigamy.

Sgt Noa Dravikula was on overseas deployment in the African country when he tied the knot with a second woman, Kuki Wason, in an Islamic marriage

Sergeant Noa Dravikula has been convicted of bigamy after tying the knot with a woman while he was deployed overseas to Kenya

Sgt Dravikula had been deployed to the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) facility in Nanyuki, to the north of Nairobi, when he ‘started a relationship’ with Kenyan woman Kuki Wason.

READ MORE: ‘Bigamist’ British Army sergeant, 42, who married a second woman in Kenya when he hadn’t divorced his first wife claims he ‘didn’t understand what was happening’ – because the ceremony was in Swahili

In October 2021, the couple enjoyed an Islamic marriage ceremony, called a nikah, which meant he was committing bigamy.

And in a show of their love, the couple appear to have tattooed one another’s initials on their hands, sharing photos of the inkwork on social media.

British law states couples can marry if they’re both aged 18 or over and are free to marry, if they’re single, widowed or divorced, or if they were in a civil partnership which has been dissolved.

The marriage came to the attention of Army top brass when Sgt Dravikula wanted to bring Ms Wason back to the UK with him.

Prosecutor Flight Lieutenant Charlotte Adams told the court Sgt Dravikula married his first wife in June 2011 in a Methodist church in Fiji.

The court heard Sgt Dravikula’s first wife, with whom he shares a child, had initiated divorce proceedings after their separation in March 2017.

However, the divorce had not yet been finalised and so they were not officially separated.

Flt Lt Adams said: ‘He then proceeded to marry a second individual, Kuki Wason, on October 29, 2021, whilst married to his first wife.

‘In doing do he committed bigamy.’

In a photo on social media, the couple appear to have tattooed one another’s initials on their hands

The 42-year-old soldier had been deployed to Nanyuki, to the north of Nairobi, when he ‘started a relationship’ with Kenyan woman Kuki Wason

Flt Lt Adams told Bulford Military Court the the bigamist soldier’s love affair with Ms Wason began after he was deployed to a British Army Training Unit in Kenya.

‘On October 29, 2021, a Sharia Law marriage ceremony called a nikah took place – this was a legal, recognised marriage ceremony,’ added Flt Lt Adams.

‘The marriage ceremony was a valid Kenyan marriage ceremony and in doing so he has committed bigamy whilst his first wife was still alive and not divorced.’

The court heard the ceremony was overseen by a priest at the home of the mother of the bride, with two witnesses present but was conducted in Swahili.

Several months later, in February 2022, a ‘heavily pregnant’ Ms Wason went with her mother to register her marriage to Sgt Dravikula, despite his absence.

Flt Lt Adams also said: ‘On the marriage certificate, [Sgt Dravikula] said he was divorced but that was not accurate.’

She said this came to the attention’ of the Army when Sgt Dravikula tried to record his next of kin as Kuki Wason and referred to her as ‘his wife’.

At Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, he denies one count of bigamy

The court heard Sgt Dravikula’s claims he had ‘no knowledge’ of what had happened because the service was conducted in Swahili

‘It was then flagged there was no divorce from his first wife and he admitted he was not actually divorced and wished to bring his second wife to the UK,’ Flt Lt Adams said.

The court heard Sgt Dravikula’s claims he had ‘no knowledge’ of what had happened because the service was conducted in Swahili and therefore ‘didn’t understand what was happening’.

‘[Sgt Dravikula] sated he didn’t know and any marriage that was conducted was a deception to him,’ Flt Lt Adams added.

In the UK a nikah is only considered a legally valid marriage if it takes place at a registered venue.

Otherwise, couples need to register their marriage through a further civil ceremony in order to enjoy the legal benefits and security of marriage.

The court heard from a marriage officer who explained Islamic marriage was different in Kenya.

He said their wedding certificate ‘shows they got married’.

Sgt Dravikula will be sentenced at a later date.

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