A 50-year-old man appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing accusations of forging his late mother’s will in a bid to take sole ownership of her US$181 000 estate.
Gregory Graham
Hall of Kariba denied the charges when he appeared before Regional Magistrate
Mrs Sandra Mupindu charged with fraud and forgery.
The State, led
by Mr Zvikomborero Mupasa, alleges that on November 3, 2010, the accused’s
mother, Noreece Lesley Hall, died while residing at No.4 Cecil Road, Greendale,
Harare. It is alleged that she left flats at Bridgeways and Sutherland Heights
in Harare.
After the death
of Noreece Lesley Hall, Gregory, allegedly then forged a will dated May 21,
2008, purporting to have been signed by his late mother and tendered it to the
Master of High Court.
He was granted
the sole beneficiary of the deceased estate.
The State
alleges that on March 18, 2022, Melanie Jane Hall, the deceased’s daughter,
visited executor dative, Rodgers Matsikidze, at his office.
She was shown
the will which was manufactured by Gregory Hill, who was now the sole
beneficiary of the estate.
Melanie Jane
Hall then noted that the signature on the will did not belong to her mother,
and the handwriting on Gregory’s name was not her mother’s.
She observed
that the handwriting belonged to her brother, according to the State.
Melanie Jane
Hall then advised Matsikidze, who then took the matter to the police.
According to
the State, during investigations, police established that the estate was
registered by Gregory at Master of High Court under DR 219/11.
Police then
requested for the will from the Master of High Court and sent it to a
Questioned Document Expert attached with samples of the Late Noreece Lesley
Hall’s signature on documents she signed during her lifetime.
It is alleged
that after examination, police also interviewed two witnesses who signed the
will and both confirmed that they did not see the late Gregory’s mother.
The court heard
that the witnesses confessed that Gregory caused them to sign the Will.
The State
further claimed that investigations established that as a result of the forged
will, Gregory was awarded US$111 029. 25 from sale of No. 28 Bridgeway Mews,
Avondale, Harare.
He also
allegedly earned 2.4 percent share of stand No. 1667, Salisbury Township of
US$70 000. Herald
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