Madam Hwang challenged OCBC's move and appealed against the decision, as well as an earlier decision rejecting her request for summary judgment - asking the court to decide without a full trial. --PHOTO: SPH
A 92-YEAR-OLD woman who sued OCBC Bank for freezing her $8.9 million account has been ordered by the High Court to undergo an independent psychiatric test.
Madam Hwang Cheng Tsu Hsu took the bank to court after it refused to let her touch the money, on the grounds that the bank had doubts about her mental capacity.
Last month, a lower court granted OCBC's application for Madam Hwang to be examined by an independent psychiatrist to evaluate whether she was mentally fit to handle her finances.
Madam Hwang challenged OCBC's move and appealed against the decision, as well as an earlier decision rejecting her request for summary judgment - asking the court to decide without a full trial.
On Tuesday, Justice Tan Lee Meng dismissed her appeal on the summary judgment issue. Her lawyer Andrew Ee then withdrew the appeal against the issue of appointing a psychiatrist.
At the hearing, OCBC's lawyer questioned if Madam Hwang was the one driving the lawsuit.
Why is she vigorously resisting being examined by a court-appointed expert if she is indeed mentally fit to handle her financial affairs, asked Mr Adrian Wong.
'This makes no sense unless the plaintiff (or the true engine behind the suit) is afraid that she will fail a re-examination.'
