By Innocent Anaba
Hearing in the case of the disputed estate of late billionaire businessman, Jacques Roomans, pending before Justice Adedayo Oyebanji of the Lagos High Court, moved to its next phase, when the cross-examination of prosecution witnesses came to a close at the end of the year, 2025.
A total of 12 witnesses were called by the prosecution, out of which three died during the course of the year. Also, one of the witnesses earlier listed to testify, withdrew from testifying, though eight witnesses finally testified for the prosecution.
The psychiatrist, Prof. Olayinka Atilola, of the Lagos State University, Ojo, who weighed in on the case, with his expert report on the Mental Health of the deceased, was the last witness to testify for the prosecution.
In over two hours of cross-examination by counsel for the defendants, Prof. Atilola cited the concerns that he had, over the deceased, which he said he left to the court to decide. Though he never met Mr. Roomans, Prof. Atilola based his report and testimony on standard professional assessment of the deceased, derived from all the reports, emails and other documents made available to him and his in-depth interview of the deceased’s biographer.
His indicators were as follows: the subject was over 75 years of age; he was an established case of cognitive deficit and was living with a party that isolated him.
Other indicators include the fact that he constantly changed his Will which, on occasions, went back in part, to his previous decisions. Lastly, the Will excludes others who had been earlier mentioned.
When counsel for the 3rd and 4th defendants, pointed out that experienced and senior doctors, both in Singapore and in Nigeria, including Dr. Lim Chin of the Raffles Hospital, Singapore, not only knew Mr. Roomans, but also physically, examined him severally, in his lifetime and found his testamentary capacity intact, Prof. Atilola pointed out that the different doctors, in fact, contradicted themselves, including the citing of fictitious publications, as in the case of Dr. Rahman Lawal. According to the professor, Dr. Lawal’s report should not be relied upon, as his statement is “scientifically impossible.”
According to him, the patient, himself complained, in 2014, that he had a problem which started at least two years earlier. Diametrically opposed views and vacillations is a clear evidence of someone either not in possession of his faculties, or under undue influence.
The matter was adjourned till tomorrow.
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