Jermaine Jackson's wife Halima Rashia has opened up about her divorce to the singer, revealing that the decision was made with a "great amount of sorrow."
She told People magazine: "With a great amount of sorrow and regret, I announce that I am filing for divorce from Jermaine Jackson.
© Photo: Getty ImagesHalima filed for divorce after 11 years of marriage
"We have enjoyed many good times during our marriage of nearly 12 years, but we have reached a point where our lives would be better and more productive if we are not married. I respect and care for Jermaine and his legendary family, and feel blessed to have been a part of the Jacksons."
She concluded to request privacy, saying: "At this time, I ask that our friends, family members and the media respect the difficulty of this decision and allow us privacy as we move on with our lives. Thank you very much."
Halima filed for a divorce on Tuesday while requesting spousal support, citing "irreconcilable differences." She also listed the official date of separation as 28 November 2015, the same day that she was arrested on domestic abuse charges after claims that she had bit Jermaine's leg. She was eventually released on $50,000 bail, and the case was subsequently dropped.
© Photo: Getty ImagesHalima marked the date of their separation as November 2015
Speaking about the incident at the time, the 61-year-old singer said: "It's obvious, I've been with Halima for 11 years, I still love her, things happen. She is still my wife."
Jermaine has remain silent on the subject, and has instead taken to Twitter to reject the recent media frenzy surrounding his late brother, Michael Jackson. He wrote: "In death, Michael still suffers trial by media but his exoneration is enshrined in court transcripts 'journalists' are too lazy to read.
"Let Michael rest in peace. Leave. Him. Alone."
