The Supreme Court of Ghana has clarified that people commonly referred to as “side chicks” or “side guys” cannot automatically become parties in divorce cases. The ruling came from a recent case involving Vida Yeboah, Dr. Stephen Yeboah, and Mercy Agyeiwaa.
According to the court, a third party can only be joined in a divorce proceeding if they have a significant legal interest connected to the case — not simply because they are accused of having an affair.
In this particular case, Mercy Agyeiwaa argued that she was not merely a “side chick” but the customary wife of Dr. Yeboah, claiming they married in 2012 before his official ordinance marriage in 2014. She also claimed to have contributed financially to properties involved in the divorce dispute.
Although the Court of Appeal earlier removed her from the case, the Supreme Court reversed that decision and allowed her to participate because her claims raised major legal questions:
Whether an earlier customary marriage existed
Whether she had legal interest in disputed marital properties
The court stressed that this does not mean every alleged lover can join divorce proceedings. Under Ghana’s Matrimonial Causes Act, the law says a person “may” be joined to a case — meaning it is optional and depends on the circumstances.
