KUALA LUMPUR: Kelantan prince Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Sultan Ismail Petra told the High Court yesterday that the slanderous words hurled against him by his wife Manohara Odelia Pinot carried the meaning that he was in the wrong and was responsible for raping, abusing and torturing her.Tengku Muhammad Fakhry said the words also meant he had sexually abused his wife, abducted, confined and prevented her from communicating with her mother Daisy Fajarina, and in fact, the words portrayed him to be a wild beast.
He vehemently denied using violence on his wife who had been a model in Indonesia and described their marital relationship as very good and that he loved her very much.
Tengku Muhammad Fakhry said since he married Manohara on Aug 26, 2008, his wife never showed any signs that she was unhappy living at the Mahkota palace in Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu, till nine months after their marriage when she suddenly returned to Indonesia without his permission.
“All my family members, other members of the Kelantan royal household, and palace workers are witness of our close relationship,” he said when testifying in the court proceedings to determine the quantum of damages that should be awarded to him in his RM105 million defamation suit against his wife and mother-in-law.
In the proceedings held in chambers, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry testified by reading out a witness statement that was signed by him, before Senior Assistant Registrar Noordura Mohamed Din.
The statement was marked as material evidence in the case.
After hearing his testimony, Noordura set Feb 24 to hear submissions from lawyer Mohd Haaziq Pillay, who is representing the prince in the suit.
A horde of journalists, press photographers and television camera crews had gathered at the court since early morning for the arrival of Tengku Muhammad Fakhry, 32.
The prince arrived at 10.50am and while expressing thanks to media personnel present, quickly left the court premises once the proceedings were over. — Bernama