Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent
A LONG-RUNNING inheritance feud between two siblings has come to a dramatic end after the Harare Magistrates Courts convicted a Kariba man for forging his late mother’s will in an attempt to cut his sister out and seize the entire estate worth over US$181 000.
Gregory Graham Hall (50) was last week found guilty of fraud and forgery by magistrate Ms Sandra Mupindu after a full trial.
He was remanded in custody pending sentencing on Wednesday.
The case was brought before the court by his sister, Melanie Jane Hall (52), who accused Gregory of fabricating their mother’s will after her death.
According to prosecutor Mr Zvikomborero Mupasa, the siblings’ mother, Noreece Lesley Hall, died on November 3, 2010, at her home at 4 Cecil Road, Greendale, Harare.
Soon after her death, Gregory presented a will dated May 21, 2008, which he claimed had been signed by their late mother. The will named him as the sole beneficiary of her entire estate. Acting on this document, the Master of the High Court granted him full control over the inheritance.
However, the deception came to light in March 2022, when Melanie visited the office of Mr Rodgers Matsikidze, the Executor Dative of the estate.
During the meeting, she was shown the will that her brother had submitted.
Melanie immediately noticed inconsistencies — the signature did not resemble her mother’s handwriting and she recognised Gregory’s writing, particularly where he had inserted his own name as the sole heir.
She reported the matter to the police, triggering a formal investigation into the document’s authenticity.
A Questioned Document Expert later confirmed Melanie’s suspicions.
After comparing the will with genuine signatures from the late Noreece Hall, the expert concluded that the signature was a forgery and that Gregory had written sections of the will himself.
Further investigations revealed that the two witnesses who had allegedly signed the will had never seen Noreece sign it. Both testified that Gregory had approached them with the document already completed.
The late Noreece Hall’s estate included valuable properties — flats in Bridgeways and Sutherland Heights, as well as a 2.4 percent share in Stand 1667, Salisbury Township.
Using the fraudulent will, Gregory went on to sell Stand 28 Bridgeway Mews in Avondale, Harare, for US$111 029.25, and also claimed US$70 000 from the deceased’s share in Stand 1667 — bringing the total prejudice to US$181 029.25.
Separately, the estate of the late Noreece Lesley Hall, represented by Executor Dative Rodgers Matsikidze, also lodged a complaint against Gregory for fraudulent misappropriation of estate funds.
After considering the overwhelming evidence, the court found Gregory guilty on both counts of fraud and forgery.
He now faces sentencing on October 29.
