Fiji frees New Zealand bigamist

A New Zealand tourist in Fiji has escaped jail on a bigamy charge after telling the court that he was unhappy with his first wife, his second wife was unfaithful and if he was jailed, he would also lose the third woman he had married.

Michael Anthony Ward, of Wellington, who offered to pay a F$24 ($31) fine for getting married to two Fijian women, despite having already married in New Zealand, the Fiji Times reports.

Ward told the court he remarried in Fiji twice because he could not stay without a woman, the Times reported in an item headed: Randy Tourist Walks Free.

Magistrate Syed Mukhtar Shah told Ward that he should learn to be without women or he could get into more trouble.

He said foreigners should respect the laws of the country or they would face legal action. Mr Shah gave him a 12-month jail term, which was suspended for two years.

He told Ward to control his urges and not to go around marrying women because he could not be without one.

Inspector Ramesh Chandra said Ward married a 39-year-old woman 11 months ago.

His wife, who is living in Australia, lodged an official complaint with police a few months later. He said Ward met the woman in church and proposed to her.

Ward admitted a charge of bigamy and admitted getting married twice in Fiji.

- NZPA