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HIGH Court judge, Justice Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa, has ordered the son-in-law and trustee of late lawyer, Robert Holland Hartley, not to sell any immovable property at 3 Richmond Close, Highlands, Harare.
The lawyer’s son and wife are beneficiaries. The lawyer formed his Robin Hartley Trust in 1987 for his wife, Marilyn Strathon Dickinson, children and grandchildren as beneficiaries.
Giovanni Pietro Dionigi came in as a trustee.
The late lawyer had also welcomed his son-in-law, Dale Crous, to the house.
However, after the beneficiaries came across an advert to sell the property, Dickinson and her son, George Holland Hartley, applied for Crous to be removed from the beneficiaries.
In their application, Dickinson and George stated that Giovanni mortgaged the asset four times in favour of a company that had nothing to do with the trust.
Justice Munangati-Manongwa ordered the Chief Registrar of Deeds not to transfer the property from Robin Hartley Trust.
She also ordered Crous to pay the costs of the process.
Through his lawyer, Crous said he wanted to sell the property to purchase an alternative house since he is partly a beneficiary.
However, Dickinson and George argued that they would be prejudiced if Giovanni succeeded in transferring the property.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter