Family at loggerheads over deceased’s estate

A CHIKANGA man is entangled in a nasty battle with his stepmother over his late father’s estate, resulting inhim labelling her a gold digger.

Reuben Chikwamba and his stepmother, Mavis Simboti, appeared before magistrate Mr Lazarus Murendo on Monday.

Simboti was seeking a protection order against Chikwamba.

Simboti told the court that following her husband’s death, Chikwamba is against her continued stay at the family’s Chikanga 2 house, despite the fact that she is the surviving spouse.

She said Chikwamba was in the habit of insulting her and labelling her a gold digger.

“He is so violent. He disconnects electricity at the house, locks doorsand denies me access into the house. He threatens and harasses me, ordering me to leave the house. He says I am not the rightful person to have inherited his father’s house.

Chikwamba insisted that Simboti is disinheriting him as the house was allegedly built by his parents, before his mother’s death.

“Your Worship, my mother’s marriage was still subsisting when this woman started dating my father. The house was built by my late parents. When my mother passed away, she (Simboti) moved in with us and that is when all hell broke loose.

‘‘She took control of everything and now that my father has died, she has now appointed herself as the sole benefactor.

“She denies me food at my parents’ house. For some time now, I have been eating at my aunt’s place. I have younger siblings and she is also mistreating them. We beg for the court’s intervention,” said Chikwamba.

He also told the court that he only seeks to protect the welfare of his minor siblings, arguing that they should benefit from their father’s estate.

However, the protection order was granted in Simboti’s favour.

Chikwamba was barred from locking Simboti out, disconnecting electricity, threatening, harassing, insulting and assaulting her.

Mr Murendo advised the family to register the deceased’s estate with the Master of the High Court and let the law decide on the executor of the estate.

“You cannot act willy-nilly and put the law into your own hands just because you feel that your step-mother is not the rightful inheritor of your father’s properties.

‘‘Your relatives testified in this court that she is the surviving spouse, but you keep contradicting that. Let the law deal with this matter, register the estate and the Master of the High Court will appoint an executor.

“If you have any queries with how the deceased’s estate is being managed or maintained, make an application with the Master of the High Court,” said Mr Murendo.