New twist in case on Tanzanian billionaire Mengi’s will

The Court of Appeal has ruled that an application by the widow of Tanzanian media tycoon Reginald Mengi against a High Court decision should be heard.

Jacqueline Ntuyabaliwe Mengi and her two children—Jaden Kihoza Mengi and Ryan Saashisha Mengi—filed an application in the Court of Appeal to review and reverse a High Court decision annulling Mengi’s will, which had excluded other children from the inheritance.

However, the trustees of the estate, Abdiel Reginald Mengi (the billionaire’s son from his first wife and Benjamin Abraham Mengi (the tycoon’s brother, attempted to block the application from being heard.

Shortly after Jacqueline filed the application, the trustees asked the court to dismiss it on the grounds that they had been unlawfully filed.

They claimed that the applicants should have appealed the High Court decision and not submitted a review application, and also said they had not attached the necessary documents.

However, the court rejected the arguments, agreeing to hear the application for review on a date to be fixed by the registrar of the court.

Following the verdict, Abdiel filed another application asking the court to reconsider and reverse its decision and dismiss Jacqueline and her sons’ review application.

In its latest decision this week, the Court of Appeal rejected all the arguments by Abdiel and Benjamin.

The court will determine the legitimacy of Mengi’s will and the legitimacy of Abdiel and Benjamin to be the trustees of Mengi’s estate.

Jacqueline and her sons will now be required to convince the Court of Appeal why it should overturn the High Court ruling that nullified her husband’s will.

In 2019, the High Court in Dar es Salaam appointed Abdiel and Benjamin trustees of the estate after they objected the legitimacy of Mengi’s will that had named other people as trustees.

In the High Court decision handed down on May 18, 2021, Judge Yose Mlyambina agreed with Abdiel’s objection and directed that the deceased’s estate be distributed to the heirs without the will.

Jacqueline then filed the application for review of the High Court decision, asking the Court of Appeal to review the verdict and eventually reverse it.