25 August 2021 08:53 am Views - 319
By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered the Registrar of Colombo District Court to produce the purported Last Will and Testaments of late Miss Ceylon 1962 Jennifer Ingleton (nee Labrooy) in Court on September 7.
Jennifer Ingleton was crowned Miss Ceylon in 1962 and passed away on 17th July 2020 after an illness at her residence in Cotta Terrace, Borella. She was looked after by suspect Sujeewa Jayathileke and a lady by the name of Kurulu who were not blood relations of her.
It was purportedly said that Jennifer Ingleton had bequeathed all her properties to Sujeewa Jayathileke. Suspicion arose in the normal circumstances due to Ingleton’s friends and well-wishers not being allowed to visit her when she was residing at her residence.
Senior Counsel Ian Fernando appearing for the interest of Anthony Hawke, a step-brother of Ingleton who is presently residing in London submitted to Court that the suspect Sujeewa Jayathileke had to produce the testamentary case number of the late Ingleton which was filed by the suspect before District Court, being the deceased’s next friend.
An application was made to Court that a copy of the last will be brought before the Magistrate’s Court for the perusal of the prosecution. It was contended that this was a matter of urgency since there was a suspicion that the suspect might leave the country. Counsel Chamin Jayasinghe appearing for the suspect mentioned that the Court had only ordered that the testamentary case of late Jennifer Ingleton to be filed forthwith and that there was no order pending for the copy of last will to be produced in the Magistrate’s Court proceedings. However, Senior Counsel Ian Fernando informed Court that since the last will is a five- witness last will and allegedly a suspicious document, an application had been made earlier by the Counsel who appeared for the suspect giving an undertaking to submit the said document on behalf of the suspect.
Accordingly, Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court issued an order directing the Registrar of Colombo District Court to furnish the purported last will of late Ingleton from the testamentary case on 7th of September.
The prosecution is expecting to refer the said last will to the scrutiny of the Government Examiner of Questioned Documents to analyse the authenticity or to ascertain whether the said document is a forged last will or not. The Colombo Fraud Bureau is conducting further investigations.
Jennifer’s half- brother and a sister-in-law had complained to the Colombo Fraud Bureau over the suspicious Last Will and the testaments alleged to have been signed by Jennifer, 78-year-old widow, without any children and without any relations living in Sri Lanka. Jennifer had died under suspicious circumstances according to her brother, presently living in England.
The half-brother had alleged that she could have been saved if proper attention and treatment had been given.
He said the chaperon who looked after her had not sought medical assistance deliberately in order to get hold of her assets in Sri Lanka.
Senior Counsel Ian Fernando with Counsel Senath Chamara Ranasinghe instructed by Derek Fernando Associates appeared for the prosecution. Counsel Chamin Jayasinghe appeared for the suspect.