"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned." – William Congreve, 1670-1729

This is scary but a true incident that was reported sometimes ago, and it is apt in introducing this piece:

"Woman sent to jail for pouring hot oil on a lover who refused to marry her… ".

A 25-year-old woman identified as Victoria Alonge was on Monday sentenced to one year in jail by a Karu Senior Magistrate court for pouring hot oil on her boyfriend, Roland Nna because he refused to marry her.

It was widely reported that Victoria was sentenced to one-year imprisonment without an option of a fine after the convict admitted to the court that she committed the offence.

Alonge was arraigned on a one-count charge of causing grievous bodily harm to Nna, her boyfriend, who resides in Kurudu, Abuja.

The prosecutor told the court that Alonge went to Nna's house at about 4:30 a.m.

on that fateful day and poured hot oil on him while he was asleep, resulting in grievous injury….He said she was immediately arrested by the police, after which she confessed to the crime.

Njoku said that whilst in detention, Alonge threatened to inflict more harm on the victim.

The prosecutor, however, urged the court to summarily punish the accused because she did not deny the charge brought against her.

In her defence, Alonge told the court that her estranged lover dated her for over four years and promised to marry her, only for him to change his mind after falling in love with another woman in Abuja.

"I did that to teach him a bitter lesson because he refused to marry me after dating me for over four years,'' Alonge said.

"He fooled me and my parents and ditched me after finding a new lover here in Abuja. I live in Lagos with my parents."

In these days of failed live-in-love affairs, heartbreaks, counter heartbreaks, jilting, eloping, dumping, etc; commonly characterized in love/romantic relationships between lovers of the opposite sex.

It is, therefore, important to consider the legal implications of the above actions which have bedevilled the pre-marital institution in our woken societal living.

A thorough understanding of the concept of the "promise to marry" and the legal consequences of the failure to honour such promise would assist us in achieving this aim..

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