News / Local
Man fakes brother's death for estate heirship
14 Mar 2015 at 15:44hrs | Views
A BULAWAYO man presented himself as the sole heir to his late father's estate by faking his elder brother's death so that he could register the estate under his name.
Jericho Moyo of Nkulumane suburb faked Dennis Moyo's death in 2006, a year after their father died.
He then proceeded to register the estate of their late father Meva Moyo, without his brother's knowledge and the matter only came to light this year after Dennis stumbled on the documents among Jericho's personal belongings while he was in hospital.
Dennis told Bulawayo magistrate Singandu Jele yesterday that for the past nine years, he was not aware that his brother had declared him dead in order to solely benefit from the estate.
Jericho did not attend the court hearing as he was said to be in hospital after he was involved in an accident last December. Dennis said while in hospital, Jericho sent him to collect his personal documents at his rural home in Tsholotsho and that is when he discovered the lies he had told authorities in order to gain control of their father's estate.
"Your worship, when Jericho was hospitalised last year December after he had an accident, he asked me to collect his personal documents at our rural home in Tsholotsho," said Dennis.
"I went through the documents and discovered he had represented himself as the sole heir and registered our father's estate transferring it into his name. I'm also a beneficiary to the estate."
He said he did not even know the people Jericho hired to act as witnesses during the registration of the estate because the individuals are not their relatives.
Dennis said he was seeking a court order to sell the house and they share their father's estate.
Magistrate Jele said the court could not change an order that was granted nine years ago.
He advised him to lodge an appeal against the order at the High Court.
Jericho Moyo of Nkulumane suburb faked Dennis Moyo's death in 2006, a year after their father died.
He then proceeded to register the estate of their late father Meva Moyo, without his brother's knowledge and the matter only came to light this year after Dennis stumbled on the documents among Jericho's personal belongings while he was in hospital.
Dennis told Bulawayo magistrate Singandu Jele yesterday that for the past nine years, he was not aware that his brother had declared him dead in order to solely benefit from the estate.
Jericho did not attend the court hearing as he was said to be in hospital after he was involved in an accident last December. Dennis said while in hospital, Jericho sent him to collect his personal documents at his rural home in Tsholotsho and that is when he discovered the lies he had told authorities in order to gain control of their father's estate.
"I went through the documents and discovered he had represented himself as the sole heir and registered our father's estate transferring it into his name. I'm also a beneficiary to the estate."
He said he did not even know the people Jericho hired to act as witnesses during the registration of the estate because the individuals are not their relatives.
Dennis said he was seeking a court order to sell the house and they share their father's estate.
Magistrate Jele said the court could not change an order that was granted nine years ago.
He advised him to lodge an appeal against the order at the High Court.
Source - chronicle