Russian-born former Miss Moscow denies Kelantan sultan has divorced her

PETALING JAYA, Jul 22, 2019, FMT. Former Miss Moscow Rihana Oksana Gorbatenko has denied she had been divorced by her husband and Kelantan ruler Sultan Muhammad V. However, a Singapore legal firm for the sultan has said that a divorce certificate had been issued by the Kelantan Syariah Court on July 1, reported the Free Malaysia Today.

Oksana’s denial comes after a copy of a divorce certificate went viral on social media.

According to Malaysiakini, Oksana said that she was not in Singapore last month when the ”talak” (proclamation of divorce) was pronounced.

“Personally, I have never heard any ‘talak’ announced against me. I am in Russia with my son. We never stopped in Singapore in June to divorce,” she was reported as saying.

“I love my husband and believe that he cares for me and our child deeply. I want to be the last woman in his life.”

The Singapore Shariah Court, in a statement to mediacorp.sg yesterday, said it had no records showing any such divorce in the republic.

However a Singapore legal firm representing Sultan Muhammad V confirmed that the ruler had irrevocably divorced Oksana on June 22 by pronouncing three talaks in the presence of two Muslim witnesses, in accordance with shariah laws.

The Straits Times reported that lawyer Koh Tien Hua, who acted with lawyer Yoon Min Joo, had said that the Kelantan Shariah Court had issued the divorce certificate on July 1.

Koh said a copy of the divorce had been sent to Oxana and her lawyers.

The Kelantan palace had previously issued a statement stating that titles such as Raja Permaisuri Kelantan, Raja Perempuan Kelantan, Sultanah Kelantan or Queen of Kelantan could not be used by anyone unless bestowed officially.

The palace also said Sultan Muhammad V’s brother, Tengku Muhammad Faiz Petra, is the rightful crown prince.

Oksana had said on Instagram that her son, Ismail Leon, is the state’s crown prince.