Mtukudzi's last will raises eyebrows

NEARLY four months after the death of music legend Dr Oliver Mtukudzi, a Harare law firm has filed with the Master of High Court, a one-page Will and Testament bequeathing all movable and immovable property to surviving spouse Mrs Daisy Kudzai Mtukudzi.

All his children and other family members were left out.

Since the death of the music icon, relatives have been on each other's throats jostling for the property left behind by Dr Mtukudzi. The news of the existence of a will had not been broken to the family members.

Last week, Thoughts Deme Attorneys at Law,  filed a will dated April 15, 2014 believed to have been left behind by Dr Mtukudzi. The will appointed Chibune & Associates, a law firm currently under curatorship following the death of its principal, as the executor dative to the estate.

Chibune & Associates is under curatorship of Thoughts Deme following the death of Mr Steve Chibune in 2017. Thoughts Deme, being the curator, filed the will with the Master of High Court.

Part of the will reads: "I, Oliver Mtukudzi, born 22 September, 1952, presently domiciled in Zimbabwe, hereby cancel and annul all former wills and cordials and declare this to be my last will and testament.

"I nominate and appoint Chibune & Associates Legal Practitioners to be the executor of my last will and administrator of my estate and effects, hereby giving and granting unto him all such powers as allowed in law especially those of assumption and substitution and direct that my executor shall not be required to file security with the Master of the High Court in respect of his appointment."

Dr Mtukudzi, according to the will, left out all his children and gave everything to the surviving spouse.

"I hereby bequeath all my properties, share and shares in any company or companies or entities to my wife, Daisy Kudzai Mtukudzi born on the second of February 1959," reads the will.

Considering that the filed will appoints a now defunct law firm as the executor, the Master of High Court has since called all beneficiaries and interested parties to attend an edict meeting to appoint an executor. The edict meeting will be convened on May 21 this year at 8am at the Master's House along Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare.

In February this year, Mrs Mtukudzi had notified the Master of High Court of the death and filled in an inventory stating the property left behind by the music icon.

According to the inventory, Tuku left behind four daughters namely: Samantha, Sandra, Selmor and Sybil.

Immovable properties declared by Mrs Mtukudzi in the inventory include: Original deed of transfer number 0009820/2003 in favour of Samantha and Oliver Mtukudzi Original deed of transfer number 8557/2007 in favour of Tuku Music Promotions (Private) Limited.

Original deed of transfer number 0005527/2008 in favour of Oliver and Daisy Mtukudzi Offer letters for subdivision 5 of Bloemfontein, Mazowe, in favour of Oliver Mtukudzi. Movable properties include, a Land Rover Discovery, Nissan NP200, Tata bus, Tata truck and a Challenger trailer.

The late musician also left an undisclosed amount of money in his FBC Bank (Belgravia) account. The edict meeting slated for May 21 is also set to discuss the assets and liabilities of the estate, identify potential beneficiaries and any other business relating to the estate.