A court has ordered the arrest of the daughter of a deceased business tycoon in a case involving the alleged forging of a Will to disinherit her two sisters from the estate of their father.
Milimani law courts chief magistrate Susan Shitubi ordered the arrest of Dinta Patiana, daughter of the late Balkrishna Ramji Haribhai Devani who died in 2019.
Besides, Ms Shitubi also ordered the arrest of Abhay Patiana, Dinta’s husband, for reportedly forging his father-in-law’s Will.
The late Devani was the proprietor of Pelikan Signs Limited which puts up signs on Kenyan Roads.
Also set to be arrested on instructions of the court is Ms Addah Nduta Ndambuki, a former banker and a director of Pelikans.
Those facing arrest are accused of forgery of Devani’s Will, swearing a false affidavit in a succession cause going on before the Family Division, and filing of fake Pelikan Signs Ltd directors at the Registrar of Companies in November 2019.
A state prosecutor told Ms Shitumbi that the deceased and her daughter were directors of Pelikan alongside Patiani Ndinguri and Ndambuki
The court heard the altering of the Will vested Pelikan shareholding to Dinta Patiana Ndinguri and Ndambuki.
The late Devani, the magistrate heard, had companies and properties in Nairobi and Kiambu Counties.
Police had summoned the four to appear in court to answer eight counts of forgery but only Ndinguri appeared.
They had all been out on a police cash bail of Sh50,000.
Ndinguri denied four counts of altering the Codicil of the Will of Devani by transferring the shares of Pelikan Roads Signs Limited without authority.
Ndinguri was charged with filling an affidavit in a succession matter of the estate of the deceased tycoon.
Ms Shitubi was told by the prosecutor that the accused and others filed the said affidavit in the succession case in a bid to defeat justice.
The magistrate heard there is a pending succession cause over the estate of the deceased industrialist.
Ndinguri who is jointly charged with the Dinta, Abbay and Addah denied falsifying the high court case documents to change the codicil of the will of Devani dated June 5, 2019.
Ms Shitubi freed the accused on a bond of Sh3 million with a surety of the same amount or alternative cash bail of Sh1 million with two conduct persons.
The matter will be mentioned on May 6, 2024 for pre-trial and directions.
