Summary District chief tool 17-year as his second wife but quickly divorced her by text message.
JAKARTA Indonesia (AP) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has officially fired a district chief whose brief marriage to a teenager triggered public outcry in the world s most populous Muslim nation.
Aceng Fikri, chief of Garut district in West Java province, took a 17-year-old as his second wife in July, but quickly divorced her via a short text message, arguing she was not a virgin. He said he spent about $26,000 on the wedding.
Officials said the president signed Fikri s dismissal letter on Wednesday. The local council in Garut had recommended Fikri s dismissal following protests by students and rights activists, and the Supreme Court approved it last month.
Some Muslims believe that men can end a marriage by simply telling their wives they are divorcing them. However, divorce by text message is uncommon.
