Battle for Nina Wang's billions comes to an end

Updated: 2011-10-25 06:56

By Guo Jiaxue(HK Edition)

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 Battle for Nina Wang's billions comes to an end

Chinachem Charity Foundation chairman Kung Yan-sum (center), Chinachem Executive Director Joseph Leung (second right) and Molly Cong (right), sister of Nina Wang Kung Yu-sum, celebrate the Court of Final Appeal ruling with champagne at a news conference Monday afternoon. Edmond Tang / China Daily

Court of Final Appeal throws out Tony Chan's last bid to proceed with case

The four-year probate fight launched by self-proclaimed fung shui master Tony Chan Chun-chuen for control of the multi-billion-dollar estate of the late tycoon, Nina Wang Kung Yu-sum, is over.

The Court of Final Appeal on Monday threw out Chan's application to take the case to the top court after the Court of Appeal quashed a similar bid in February this year, describing him as "thoroughly dishonest."

Kung Yan-sum, who chairs the Chinachem Charity Foundation, a charity body founded by Wang and which had been awarded the magnate's fortune by the High Court, said he was very pleased with the outcome, saying the protracted legal saga has finally ended.

Kung - Wang's brother - said her sister's fortune, estimated at HK$60 billion, is now expected to go to the foundation in six months at the soonest, or two years at the latest.

It took only a few minutes for the three Court of Final Appeal judges - Patrick Chan Siu-oi, Kemal Bokhary and Robert Ribeiro - to arrive at their judgment on Monday. They will give their reasons in writing at a later date.

John Katz, a lawyer representing Chan, had told the court his client would like to introduce a police document as "new evidence".

He challenged the credibility of a witness, Winfield Wong Wing-cheung, who testified that Chan's will was only a partial document. But Katz claimed that the witness had offered two inconsistent statements to the police, saying the second statement was not available for trial. He questioned what would have happened if the second document had been made available.

But Justice Ribeiro refuted the claim, saying it was not enough to conclude that Wong had lied.

Katz also said it would be a grave injustice if the court failed to accept the appeal because of the great public interest in the case. But the argument was also rebutted by Justice Bokhary, who said the case is not related to public justice.

Tony Chan told the media later he would discuss his next move with his lawyer. But when asked what he could do after the top court's decision, he admitted he has no idea.

He insisted that he did not forge the will.

Kung Yan-sum toasted the judgment with bottles of champagne on Monday afternoon, accompanied by Wang's three sisters and another brother.

The foundation had, at one stage, found its operations stalled due to the probate battle, but now with the money, Kung said he is very confident of the foundation's future charity work, which he hinted, would one day be extended beyond Hong Kong.

He added he knew they would ultimately win the case as the arguments made by Tony Chan's lawyer had all been refuted.

The High Court had ruled in February this year that the 2006 will held by Chan was forged. The businessman's appeal was subsequently rejected by the Court of Appeal.

Chan was arrested and charged with forgery in connection with the will following the High Court ruling.

His legal fees are estimated to run into hundreds of millions of dollars, with the High Court bill alone costing about HK$140 million.

guojiaxue@chinadailyhk.com

China Daily

(HK Edition 10/25/2011 page1)