When former Sime Darby chairman Dennis Pinder (left) died in 2004, he left the bulk of his $16 million estate to his two sons from his first wife. --PHOTO: ST
WHEN former Sime Darby chairman Dennis Pinder died in 2004, he left the bulk of his $16 million estate to his two sons from his first wife.
But his second wife Lillian Pinder, 72, contested the will, arguing he had intended to retire to England at the time of his death.
Through Senior Counsel Deborah Barker of KhattarWong Partnership, she pointed out that since her husband was a resident in England, his estate should be subject to English laws which could have awarded a widow half of her dead husband's estate.
But Mr Pinder's will executor, London lawyer Peter Rogers, through lawyers Jason Lim and Goh Kok Yeow, countered that he had been living in Singapore, which meant his estate should be subject to local probate laws instead.
In a judgement released on Monday, High Court judge Andrew Ang threw out the widow's suit, saying Pinder had strong ties and appeared to want to continue to work and live here.
At issue was where he lived and worked at the time of his death to determine where the probate action on the will would proceed.
Although he was ill and remained in London for the 11 months before his death, this was for medical reasons and he died less than a week before he was due to return to Singapore.
His sons had testified Singapore was where his heart was.
Justice Andrew Ang ruled Pinder was domiciled in Singapore, not England, for the purpose of the probate action.
Mr Pinder, an accountant by training, came to Singapore in 1953 and rose to head conglomerate giant Sime Darby in 1965 and turn it into one of the most successful corporations.
