Stealing or concealing a Will
My father died one year ago at the age of sixty five. He left two wives, my mother and my step mother whom he engaged with for about ten years before his death. He is survived by five children from my mother and a young boy from my step mother. Before his death my father used to tell us that he prepared his last Will in his late 50s. After his death, we tried to get the said Will, but in vain. There is evidence that it is my step mother who stole the Will and then conspired with our uncle to conceal it with an intent of altering its contents in their favour. What do you advise us to do?
MT, KibahaStealing a Will is a crime and is punishable under section 266 of the Penal Code. The section provides that where the thing stolen is a testamentary instrument, whether the testator is living or dead, the offender is liable to imprisonment for 10 years. Also, section 277 of the Penal Code makes concealment of a Will an offence, as it states that any person who, with intent to defraud, conceals any testamentary instrument, whether the testator is living or dead, is guilty of an offence and is liable to imprisonment for 10 years. Therefore, if you have cogent evidence, you can report the matter to the police for them to initiate a criminal investigation against your step mother and your uncle. You then may have to appear in Court to prove the case with your cogent evidence. If proved beyond reasonable doubt, your step mother and your uncle are liable for imprisonment for 10 years each.
MT, KibahaStealing a Will is a crime and is punishable under section 266 of the Penal Code. The section provides that where the thing stolen is a testamentary instrument, whether the testator is living or dead, the offender is liable to imprisonment for 10 years. Also, section 277 of the Penal Code makes concealment of a Will an offence, as it states that any person who, with intent to defraud, conceals any testamentary instrument, whether the testator is living or dead, is guilty of an offence and is liable to imprisonment for 10 years. Therefore, if you have cogent evidence, you can report the matter to the police for them to initiate a criminal investigation against your step mother and your uncle. You then may have to appear in Court to prove the case with your cogent evidence. If proved beyond reasonable doubt, your step mother and your uncle are liable for imprisonment for 10 years each.