Two days after a Tanzanian court ruled that multi-millionaire businessman Reginald Mengi’s Will is invalid, his widow Jacqueline Ntuyabaliwe aka K-Lynn has expressed her dismay over the decision that indicated her husband was mentally unsound.
In an Instagram update on Thursday, the former beauty queen and singer said it was inconceivable that the media magnate was not of sound mind, adding that there were doctors' testimonies to this end.
"My husband spent his entire life as a respected, intelligent, kind and a helping hand for thousands of Tanzanians. He wasn’t insane!"
She was reacting to a High Court decision delivered by by Judge Yose Mlyambina that quashed a Will that was allegedly written by Mr Mengi who died in Dubai in 2019.Â
The said Will, which was widely circulated on social media, had bequeathed the deceased’s estate to his spouse and their twin children.Â
Tanzanian billionaire Reginald Mengi with his family. The tycoon started by selling ballpoint pens. The author and philanthropist died in Dubai aged 75.
While objecting to the Will, the petitioners - including Mr Mengi's sons from an earlier marriage - claimed the document was not sealed and that the signature was different from the late businessman's usual signature. Additionally, they said, it was not witnessed by any of the tycoon's relatives or wife.
They also argued that Mr Mengi had no capacity to draw the purported Will since he had been facing serious health issues since 2016 and that it excluded the deceased’s other children from inheritance, without regard to Chagga traditions or involving relatives.
They further argued that the said Will complicates the duty to uphold the family name and legacy by those who have been disinherited.
The case challenging the Will had been filed by four people, including a relative of Mr Mengi.
The judge agreed with objections raised by one of Mengi's eldest children and the tycoon’s brother, who were challenging the legitimacy of the document.Â
Business empire
Mr Mengi, once ranked among Africa's richest men, died on May 2, 2019 in Dubai at the age of 75.
US business magazine Forbes had estimated his net worth at $560 million in 2014.
He was a pioneer in Tanzania's media industry after becoming the first person in the country to privately own a media empire.
His IPP Media Group owned 11 newspapers, radio and television stations. His portfolio also included Bonite Bottlers, which was the only bottler of Coca-Cola products in northern Tanzania.Â
He also had interests in Tanzania's mining industry. His company, IPP Resources, mined gold, uranium, copper, chrome and coal.
