KUALA TERENGGANU (Malaysia): A grandmother's second marriage three years ago was nullified yesterday by the syariah court which also questioned the status of her third marriage earlier this year.

Judge Sheikh Ahmad Sheikh Ismail ordered Siti Fatimah Yacob, 47, to hand over the certificate of marriage with Wan Yusof Wan Long to be cancelled.

He noted that while the marriage took place in a house in Kampung Raja, Besut, on Sept 19, 2005, the certificate dated Sept 13 was issued in Songkhla, Thailand.

Fatimah left Wan Yusof in July last year without applying for a divorce and married Muhamad Abdullah @ Mihandher Singh on April 10.

Wan Yusof, who found out that his wife had remarried without divorcing him, lodged a report with the police and the religious department.

Sheikh Ahmad said Fatimah felt that her marriage to Wan Yusof was invalid as witnesses to their marriage had not heard her utter her agreement but just observed her nodding when asked by the kadi.

Her utterance of agreement was required by syariah law as she was a widow whose first husband died in 2005.

Sheikh Ahmad said conditions for Fatimah's marriage to Wan Yusof had not been adhered to.

He added that it was also against the law for a marriage to be solemnised here but for a certificate of marriage to be issued in Thailand.

Fatimah's lawyer Anuwar Muhamad said he would help his client file an application to verify the status of her marriage to Abdullah.