By Innocent Anaba
LAGOS—Casper Groenen, a nephew of late billionaire businessman, Jacobus Roomans, has told a Lagos State High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square that dementia runs in their family and that his uncle lacked the mental capacity to make a valid will in his final years.
Three sons of Roomans, Simon, Kyle, and Daniel, who are contesting the final will of their father, had dragged the executors of the will, Luke Ilogu, SAN, Stanley Onuosa, his widow, Maria Mahat, and her son, Romario, before Justice Adedayo Oyebanji, insisting that the July 5, 2022, will is invalid.
The claimants allege that their father, a naturalised Nigerian, had suffered from a cognitive disorder since 2010 and lacked the mental capacity to execute the document.
They further accuse Mahat of exerting undue influence to secure an estate transfer that left all assets to herself and her son.
The defendants, however, maintain that Roomans was of sound mind when he signed the will. Both sides have backed their positions with expert medical evidence.
In January 2025, Justice Oyebanji ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending determination of the matter.
At the resumption of hearing on Thursday last week, testifying virtually before Justice Oyebanji, Groenen, a Dutch citizen from Venlo, The Netherlands, said his late uncle was a very generous man and had placed him on a £2,000 monthly allowance.
Led in evidence by the claimants’ lawyer, Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, Groenen, however, told the court that his uncle began to show signs of dementia as far back as 2014, years before the disputed will was signed.
Groenen recalled an incident where his uncle referred to him as a 10-year-old boy despite him being 50 years old when he visited him in Nigeria.
He stated that both his mother and her twin sister—Roomans’ siblings—suffered dementia before their deaths, and that the deceased showed similar symptoms.
“My mother started to suffer from dementia in 2010, and my Aunt Let in 2011. I believe my late uncle also started suffering from dementia in 2014.”
Groenen described his uncle as a tough and strong-willed businessman during the years he worked with him in England, but said his personality and independence had collapsed by 2018.
He recalled meeting him outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London in November 2018, where the late Roomans appeared unable to act without the approval of his widow, Maria Mahat.
He also stated that he made several attempts at reaching the deceased, but that he ignored repeated phone calls and emails he sent between 2017 and 2018.
Under cross-examination by the defendants’ lawyer, Funke Adekoya, SAN, Groenen, however, stated that his view about Roomans suffering from dementia was strictly his personal opinion.
Groenen also acknowledged that his uncle continued to send him a monthly allowance despite his claim that he suffered from dementia.
He was also cross examined by other defence lawyers.
Justice Oyebanji adjourned the matter till September 30, for continuation of trial.
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