The Singaporean lawyer representing the former Malaysian King Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan has confirmed that the ex-monarch did divorce his Russian wife Rihana Oxana Gorbatenko, who also goes by the name Oksana Voevodina, and that the divorce procedure was conducted in full accordance with Islamic laws, the Straits Times reports.
According to the newspaper, Koh Tien Hua from Eversheds Harry Elias, confirmed that the permission for divorce was granted by the Kelantan Syariah Court, and that the divorce certificate was issued on 1 July.
"Ms Rihana was informed of the irrevocable divorce on 22 June 2019 through her lawyers Alexander Dobrovinsky & Partners of Russia and a copy of the divorce certificate was given to her," Koh said.
He also made a somewhat cryptic remark about the couple’s son, Ismail Leon, who was born earlier this year.
"There is no objective evidence as yet as to the biological father of the child”, Koh said. "On behalf of His Royal Highness, we request his privacy be respected."
This reveal comes as Voevodina, model and Miss Moscow 2015, continues to dispute reports about the divorce.
"I have not been given any admonition of divorce. I was in Russia with my child. We were not in Singapore in June for any divorce proceedings”, she reportedly told Malaysian news portal Malaysiakini, as quoted by the newspaper. "This is an act of provocation, we have never been divorced."
She also posted a video on Instagram, revealing details of her relationship with the Malaysian monarch, though it wasn’t immediately clear when it was recorded.
Sultan Muhammad V and Voevodina made headlines in November 2018 when they tied the knot in a lavish wedding ceremony held in the prestigious Moscow suburb of Barvikha.
Rumours of their impending divorce started circulating at the beginning of this year, further fanned by Sultan Muhammad resigning as the supreme ruler of Malaysia on 6 January.