A person who marries without having his or her previous marriage legally dissolved by a judge has committed the offence of bigamy.

A St Elizabeth man he is depressed and shocked to learn that his wife got married overseas.

The distraught husband said when he heard the news he called his wife to find out what was the position and she admitted that she had remarried.

"Now she is telling me that she had no choice but to get married, because she cannot make life on her own, and as soon as things are sorted out she will divorce that man and find a way for me to come and live with her.

"How could she do this to me? My wife knows I love her very much, and I have always cared for her and provided for her, the man disclosed.

"The reason my wife went abroad was because she had difficulty getting a job in Jamaica, and one of her friends told he if she had a visa she could get a job abroad. She got the visa and went away to work but I did not expect to get the news that my wife had married someone to get a stay in that country. The way I feel right now is like my wife of 15 years has died. I don't know how I am going to get over it, although she is telling me that she loves me very much, but she had to marry someone so she could stay longer in the country and travel whenever she wants.

invalid marriage

"My relatives are encouraging me to forgive her and understand her side of the story, but it is my view that my wife should return home if things were not working out for her," he added.

It is very unfortunate that your wife has taken the decision to marry without consulting you on the issue.

The marriage is not valid and, in law, you are still her husband until you divorce her.

A person can be sent to prison if they are found guilty of bigamy.

A St Elizabeth man who married two women on different dates in 2001 was sentenced in 2002 to two years' imprisonment after he was convicted of bigamy.

Section 71 (1) of the Offences against the Person Act states, in part, that "whosoever, being married, shall marry any other person during the life of the former husband or wife, whether the second marriage shall have taken place in this Island or elsewhere, shall be guilty of felony, and, being convicted thereof, shall be liable to be imprisoned for a term not exceeding four years with or without hard labour."

It is very unfortunate your wife has taken the decision to marry without even consulting you on the issue. The marriage is not valid and, in law, you are still her husband until you divorce her.