Béziers: a septuagenarian and a young Gabonese woman tried to seal a “white marriage”

A procedure for suspicion of “white marriage” launched by the public prosecutor of Béziers has just had legal proceedings. The union was only an attempt. Narrative.

On November 16, 2023, the civil status service of the commune of Béziers reported to the public prosecutor’s office a suspicion of a “sham marriage” between a 32-year-old woman of Gabonese nationality and in an irregular situation, and a 75-year-old retiree. After being in contact via the Internet in 2018, the young woman came to meet him in France in 2022, via a Spanish visa. Since then, she has not returned to Gabon where her family resided, notably her seven-year-old daughter.

Wedding canceled

“After having ordered the suspension of the celebration of the marriage, and at the end of the investigations carried out by the border police -Paf- of Sète, the Béziers public prosecutor’s office decided to prosecute the couple for the charge of attempted marriage contracted for obtaining a residence permit, protection against removal or the acquisition of French nationality”, revealed this Tuesday, June 18, 2024, Raphaël Balland, public prosecutor of Béziers.

This Monday the 17th, despite the affirmation of the sincerity of their matrimonial wishes, the Béziers criminal court sentenced the woman to 2 months of suspended imprisonment and ban from French territory for 5 years, and the man to a day fine totaling 500 euros. According to the prosecutor, the septuagenarian had already been convicted in 2020 for the offense of sexual assault on a minor under 15 years old.

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