Sudanese goat wife pops her hooves

Tragic death ends marriage made at the point of a shotgun

By Lester Haines • Get more from this author

Posted in Bootnotes, 3rd May 2007 16:36 GMT

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The caprine wife of a Sudanese goat molester has died suddenly after more than a year of marriage, the BBC reports.

Mrs Tombe, née Rose, got hitched in a shotgun wedding ceremony after her future husband was caught indulging in pre-marital sexual relations with the animal. Her owner, Mr Alifi, "described how he heard a noise outside his house and rushed out to find one Mr Tombe going at his hammer-and-tongs with the unfortunate beast", as we reported at the time. He recounted: "When I asked him: 'What are you doing there?' he fell off the back of the goat, so I captured and tied him up."

Alifi consulted local elders in the southern city of Juba, who duly returned their verdict. Alifi explained: "They said I should not take him to the police, but rather let him pay a dowry for my goat because he used it as his wife." Charles Tombe had to stump up a 40 quid for Rose, but was later reported happily settled with his missus. Alifi concluded: "We have given him the goat, and as far as we know they are still together."

Sadly, it appears this wedded bliss didn't last. Rose reportedly died "after choking on a plastic bag she swallowed as she was eating scraps on the streets of Juba". She leaves one kid, a 100 per cent goat male, suggesting infidelity may have played a part in her ejection from the marital home. ®

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