By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday issued an order directing the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau that the purported original last will of late Miss Ceylon 1962 Jennifer Ingleton (nee Labrooy) be obtained from the Colombo District Court for the purpose of obtaining an analytical report from the Government Analyst’s Department.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Bandara Nelimdeniya made this order consequent to the Magisterial inquiry into the alleged forged last will of Jennifer Ingleton was taken up for hearing.  

Senior Counsel Ian Fernando with Counsel Senath Chamara Ranasinghe instructed by Derek Fernando Associates appearing for Anthony Hawke, the aggrieved party, submitted to Court that the questionable last will ought to be collected by the prosecution in order to investigate it through the Government Analysts’ Department alongside the alleged marriage certificate which was proof of late Jennifer Ingleton’s marriage to the suspect and also the alleged Power of Attorney purportedly given by Jennifer Ingleton to the suspect.  

Fernando further told court that the thumb impression on the alleged last will is to be investigated meticulously by the Government Analyst’s Department to verify its veracity.  

Further Magisterial inquiry into the alleged questionable last will of late Jennifer Ingleton was postponed for October 12.  

Jennifer Ingleton (nee Labrooy) was crowned Miss Ceylon in 1962 and passed away on 17th July 2020 after a sickness at her residence in Cotta Terrace, Borella. She was looked after by the suspect Sujeewa Jayathileke and a lady by the name of Kurulu who were not the blood relations of her family. It was purportedly said that Jennifer Ingleton had bequeathed all her properties to Sujeewa Jayathileke. The suspicion occurred 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.  

The prosecution is expecting to refer the said last will to the scrutiny of the Government Examiner of Questioned Documents to analyze the authenticity or 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, a 78-year-old widow, without any children and 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 was given. He said the chaperon who looked after her had not sought medical assistance deliberately to get hold of her assets in Sri Lanka.  

Senior Counsel Ian Fernando with Counsel Seneth Chamara Ranasinghe instructed by Derek Fernando Associates appeared for the prosecution.  

• Colombo Additional Magistrate Bandara Nelimdeniya made this order  consequent to the Magisterial inquiry into the alleged forged last will