TUTWA HAD MANY CHILDREN OUTSIDE WEDLOCK - SISTER TELLS COURT

LATE Tutwa Ngulube’s sister, one of the administrators of his estate has submitted to the High Court that her brother left assets worth K20 million and she admitted that he had many children outside wedlock, who were not known to the family.

Ms Tawanda Tafwakose Ngulube however stated that there were uncertainties over the paternity of some of the children, especially those who were barely two months old at the time of his death in December, 2022.

Ms Ngulube revealed that one of the women claiming a share of her child is in fact married, but insists that the late lawmaker was the minor’s father.

“Some women who made claims that the deceased fathered their children had children as young as two months old and as such that it was difficult to ascertain with certainty the truthfulness of the claims s by the mothers as those children were not known by any of the members of the Ngulube family.”

“That the process of consultation, meant that we could not distribute the estate until we are sure that the claims from the mothers as to the paternity of their children were genuine,” Ms Ngulube stated.

This is in an affidavit in opposition to the demand by mothers of five children aged between 15 and one seeking an order for administrators to render an inventory and account of Mr Ngulube's estate and to distribute it accordingly.

Among the demands include an account of the monies that are in Golden Sonnets Hotels, motor vehicles, rentals from properties in Kabwe and Kapiri Mposhi, use of three mobile phones and a laptop.

Ms Chuma Catherine Kuntepa suing as guardian of the five children cited the widow, Ms Mupeta Sokontwe and the deceased's sister, Tawanda Tafwakose Ngulube, both administrators of the estate, as respondents in the matter.

Ms Ngulube opposed the claims stating that her brother, a former Kabwe Central Member of Parliament left landed property, motor vehicles, shares and the money held in his bank accounts.

“The estimate value of all his assets is K20 million as evidenced by the inventory of the deceased’s estate produced.

That we have paid out liabilities left by the deceased in the sum of over K1, 000, 000,” she said.

She said the distribution of assets to the named beneficiaries who include his widow, mother, children and dependents would be done until the executor’s year is completed to allow gathering of assets.

The respondent stated that it was shocking that some women were demanding to be given houses in Lusaka when only one house can remain for the widow and children whiles others ought to be sold and the money distributed among the rest of the beneficiaries.