A husband has taken his estranged wife and her friend to court, requesting access to bank statements that he believes will reveal how his R3.8 million and proceeds from his valuable jewellery collection were spent.
Also read: Divorce mediation: Finding a solution that works for everyone
IOL reports that the wife filed criminal charges against him five years ago, which resulted in his arrest and subsequent release on bail with the condition that he not enter their marital home.
Despite the fact that the charges were dropped months later, the wife refused him access to the house.
As a result, the husband claims he was unable to retrieve his personal belongings, which included expensive wristwatches, inherited jewellery, collectable coins, R3.8 million in cash and ‘Mandela Coins’ belonging to an unknown company.
His attorney’s efforts to collect these items from the marital home were futile, as the wife only allowed his clothes and other belongings to be packed in garbage bags at the front door.
Cape {town} Etc discount: Looking for things to do in the city at half the price? Let these great offers inspire you. Get them here.
Even after obtaining legal permission to enter the house, he discovered that his valuables and money were missing.
The husband’s suspicions were heightened when he learned from his daughters that their mother had money adorned with ‘Cheetahs,’ which he mistook for the R200 banknotes he had left, and when he noticed one of his daughters wearing a gold chain he recognised as belonging to his late grandmother.
He believes his wife spent his money and sold his belongings, possibly with the assistance of a friend who admitted to selling jewellery on her behalf and was present during his arrest.
During the divorce proceedings, he served a discovery notice on all deposits made to her bank accounts. In response, the wife claimed that the deposits were unofficial loans from a friend.
Subsequent bank records revealed that these ‘loans’ originated from two accounts belonging to the wife’s friend, who was listed with a credit bureau at the time.
The husband’s attempt to obtain the friend’s bank statements was met with opposition, which dubbed it a ‘fishing expedition.’’
A hearing on an application to set aside this subpoena is scheduled for early next year.
Unleash your inner explorer with these incredible car deals, all priced under R100 000. Find car listings here.
Impatient with the delay, the husband filed an application with the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town to have the friend’s application dismissed.
He claims that these documents are critical to the divorce proceedings, especially in determining the source of the funds and whether they are related to the sale of his belongings.
This information, he claims, is also necessary for his wife’s interim spousal maintenance application.
However, Judge Derek Wille indicated that this application may be denied because it is deemed premature, with the matter already scheduled for next year.
As a result, he postponed the wife’s spousal maintenance application due to the pending financial documents, which could have a significant impact on her financial situation.
Also read:
Picture: Carlos Esteves / Unsplash
