RABECCA BANDA writes
A LUSAKA local court has revoked the appointment of a widow and her mother-in-law as administrators because they mismanaged the estate of the former’s dead husband.
Gift Samaili, 44, of Chalala and Beatrice Kabuku, 68, of Kafuta village Kabwe were sued by Moses Chella, 21, a student of Longacres.
Chella said his father died in 2017 and that since then it had been difficult to find money for his school.
“My father left three pieces of land, three cars, Napsa funds and money from his work place. Only the money from his work place was shared,” he said.
“We are six children, but I feel our step-mother has been segregating in the sharing of assets as if we were not beneficiaries. She has been favouring her three own children,” Chella said.
He said his step-mother did not invite him to his father’s memorial service. She also lied to him that the Napsa benefits were not ready and yet she told his mother that the money had been released.
“I am not in school because of the financial problems. That’s why I have brought her to court. The remaining money can assist me to go back to school,” Chella said “She has not shared the money and properly like the court ordered i2 years ago,” he said.
“I want the court to revoke her administration because she has not been transparent. She has been making decisions alone without the knowledge of the second defendant,” Chella said.
He said he wanted the court to appoint him and his grandmother as administrators.
They were appearing before senior local court magistrate Ackim Phiri sitting with presiding local court magistrate Patrick Nyirenda.
Simaili said when her husband died she was given the three cars by the relatives for easy movements because her children were still young.
She said she went to his work place together with Kabuku (her mother-in-law).
“There we found that the other three children were not registered. We decided to add them on the list so that they can get something as well,” Simaili said.
“When I received the money, I share it equally among them. Each got about K158,000. Even my mother-in-law received her share,” she said.
“I never informed him about the Napsa money because I knew he wasn’t appearing on the list. Only I and my three children are appearing on that list,” she said.
Simaili said she used the Napsa money to meet the cost of holding a memorial service.
“The land is joint so that’s means it all belongs to me because I am the surviving spouse,” she said.
“I told Chella to get one of the cars, sell it and share with his other siblings and the grandmother,” Simaili said. “I don’t know why he has brought me to court because there is nothing to administer, the remaining property is mine,” she said.
“I have no problem being removed as administrator.”
And Kabuku, the second administrator, said Chella’s father was her son.
“We knew about the other three children during the funeral. We accepted them. We later came to court and I and my daughter-in-law were chosen as administrators,” she said.
Kabuku said as the second administrator, her daughter in-law had not informed her of what had happened to the Napsa money,” she said.
She had not received any money from Simaili.
The court revoked the appointment of the two as administrators.
