Tycoon's daughter charged with forging will to disinherit sisters
Dinta Devani, the daughter of business tycoon the late Devani Balkrishna, her husband Abhay Singh Pathiana, and directors Samuel Ndinguri and Addah Nduta who were charged with forging the late businessman Will. They denied the charges.
What you need to know:
- Dinta Devani, her husband Abhay Singh Pathania, Samuel Ngugi Ndinguri and Addah Nduta Ndambuki, who were directors of Pelican Signs Limited, denied eight counts of forgery.
A daughter of late business tycoon Balkrishna Ramji Haribhai Devani has been charged with forging her father's will to disinherit her two sisters.
Dinta Devani, her husband Abhay Singh Pathania, Samuel Ngugi Ndinguri and Addah Nduta Ndambuki, who were directors of Pelican Signs Limited, denied eight counts of forgery.
The four are accused of transferring the deceased's shares in Pelican Signs Limited when they were not administrators of the estate of Balkrishna Ramji Haribhai Devani.
Dinta is separately charged with transferring to herself shares in Silverstar Properties Limited without the express authority of her deceased father.
She is also accused of forging the codicil to her father's Will on June 5, 2019, purporting it to be a genuine codicil duly executed by her late father.
The court heard that Dinta swore a false affidavit before lawyer Tom Onyambu in respect of the High Court succession case regarding the estate of her father.
She was further charged with presenting forged documents before a high court judge on November 2, 2020, claiming they were genuine.
She faces five counts of intermeddling with the said estate.
She allegedly committed the offence on August 14, 2019, at the Registrar of Companies Sheria House Nairobi.
Ochoi heard that she had not been appointed as administrator of her father's estate.
All four are jointly charged with filing an affidavit at the high court in a succession matter E623/2020 in a bid to defeat the course of justice.
The magistrate heard from state prosecutor James Gachoka that the four forged Minutes of directors of Pelican Limited purporting they were appointed as directors of the said company solely owned by the deceased industrialist.
Defence lawyer Danstan Omari applied for the release of the accused on reasonable bond saying that their accounts have been frozen and they could not afford exorbitant bond terms.
"Your honour I apply for the release of the accused persons on reasonable terms," said Omari.
He said that Dinta has a health challenge and requires constant medical attention.
In his ruling, the magistrate considered the submissions by the defence lawyers and ordered the accused to deposit a cash bail of Sh 200,000 with one contact person or an alternative bond of Sh 1 million.
