False: Photos Supposedly Of 61-year-old Woman Marrying 12-year-old Boy In Kisii Are Misleading

Photos supposedly of a 61-year-old woman marrying a 12-year-old boy in Kisii are misleading.

The photos were shared by the Facebook user William Quotes, who claims the two had been in a romantic relationship for the past two years.

“Shock as a 61-year-old Kisii granny marries a 12-year-old boy in a well organised wedding. The two are said to be in a romantic relationship for the last two years,” the user captioned the photos.

The post did not provide further details, such as the names of the bride and groom and the wedding’s exact venue.

An investigation into the claim by Business Today found that the alleged marriage did not happen in Kenya.

A reverse image search on Google shows that the wedding happened in South Africa between 9-year-old Saneie Masilela and Hellen Shabangu, a mother of five.

According to reports by The Standard, the wedding was a ritual after Masilela was told to do so by his ancestors.

“When I’m older I will marry a lady my own age. I chose Helen because I love her and, although we don’t live together all the time, we meet at the dumping site where my mother works regularly,” Masilela told the media.

Masilela’s wedding happened in 2014, according to The Standard. 

“Their wedding was done before 100 guests including Helen’s husband Alfred Shabangu and her children who are aged between 32- and 42-years-old,” The Standard further reported.

The wedding was also reported here.

The claim that the wedding happened in Kisii is, therefore, false.

This fact check was published by Business Today with technical support from Code for Africa’s PesaCheck newsdesk, through the African Fact-Checking Alliance (AFCA).