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The late Rtd Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku

Court Reporter—
Ms Farai Kunaka, the youthful woman widely believed to be the widow of Retired Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, risks walking away empty-handed after the Will authored by the national hero allocated the whole estate to his children. The last Will and Testament that was filed at the Master of High Court’s office appointed Harare lawyer Mr Aston Musunga of Musunga Law Chambers as executor testamentary.

The Master of the High Court has since issued letters of administration certifying Mr Musunga as the executor.

Read more:

• Chief Justice Chidyausiku retires
• Chidyausiku dies
• Chidyausiku a national hero

Ms Kunaka, despite being the woman who was always with the late national hero at public functions in his last days, was left out in the distribution plan.

The late national hero jointly owned the Highlands property worth $750 000 with his first wife Ms Mary Chidyausiku and he bequeathed his 50 percent share to two of his sons.

All the household property in the same property was given to the two sons.

“I give and bequeath my half share in Stand 16885 Orange Groove, Highlands in Harare to my sons Tirivangani Chidyausiku and Tadzimirwa Chidyausiku, who shall hold the property in joint and equal shares,” reads part of Justice Chidyausiku’s Will.

“My first wife Mary Chidyausiku shall remain with her current half share in the aforementioned property.”

Justice Chidyausiku in 2010 allocated another property, Stand Number 2371 Bluffhill Township of 2253 Bluffhill Township to Ms Kunaka in her capacity as a “fiancée”.

But he changed his mind in 2014 and gave the property to his two daughters, as indicated by the latest Will.

“I give and bequeath Stand Number 2371 Bluffhill Township of 2253 Bluffhill Township to my children, namely Tendai Chidyausiku and Chipo Chidyausiku in equal shares, share and share alike,” reads the Will. The late Retired Chief Justice gave Tirivangani a farm, Arusha/Chifambi, which is in Goromonzi district.

The rest of the property, according to the Will, should be shared equally among his 11 children.

In an interview, Mr Musunga confirmed the development, saying his task as executor was simply to ensure the properties were identified and distributed in terms of the Will left behind by the late national hero.

“I was appointed by the Will,” he said. “My task as executor is to ensure I identify all the properties belonging to the deceased, collect them and distribute to the listed beneficiaries.

“We will be following what the late judge wrote, thus doing his Will.”

Movable properties forming part of the estate include a Ford Ranger Wild Track and Mercedes Benz.

Justice Chidyausiku died on May 3 this year in Johannesburg, South Africa, after battling kidney and liver problems. He was declared a national hero and subsequently buried at the National Heroes’ Acre.

The late judge died barely three months after retirement.