Woman stated to be Ali Sultan’s de facto partner enters estate battle over annual legacies and bequest
A woman stated to be the romantic partner of property mogul Ali Sultan in the lead-up to his death has now entered into an ongoing estate battle. LATEST >>
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A WOMAN stated to be the de facto partner of late property mogul Ali Sultan has been drawn into a high-profile estate battle with his eldest son.
Moe Sultan is currently challenging his father’s will in an ongoing Supreme Court of Tasmania clash, alleging executers and trustees of his father’s most recent will misused money from the estate and appointed themselves directors of Sultan Holdings.
Rola Taychouri-Smith has recently been added as a defendant in the proceedings, with Moe Sultan noting various incarnations of his father’s will since November 2018 granted her annual legacies and-or a specific bequest.
Moe Sultan says his father’s last true will was made in July 2018 or earlier, and that subsequent versions did not represent his father’s intentions and were not valid wills “as he did not know and approve his contents” when he executed them.
In her defence filed with the court, Ms Taychouri-Smith says she was the second cousin of Ali Sultan as her paternal grandmother was his maternal grandmother’s sister.
But she also said she’d been in a romantic relationship with Ali Sultan at the time of his death as his de facto spouse.
She said while Ali Sultan was married to Christine Sultan, their relationship ended in 2014 and that they were “in the final stage of formalising their divorce at the time the deceased died”.
She denied wills made in November 2018, November 2019 and December 2020 were invalid.
Ali Sultan, a well-known businessman, died unexpectedly in January 2021 after a heart attack while walking on kunanyi / Mt Wellington.
Moe Sultan claims his father had limited English skills, particularly in comprehension of written documents, and that newer versions of the will did not reflect his intentions.
A number of defendants have already denied claims of wrongdoing in the case, including Integrity Commission chief commissioner Aziz Gregory Melick AO, Sultan Holdings accountant Mark Saltzman and lawyer Damian Egan.
Moe Sultan’s younger brother Saleh, also listed as a defendant, has previously filed a written defence with the court, although the amended statement of claim does not allege any wrongdoing by him.
Two further defendants, Mezed Eid and Mohamad Eid, have now also filed a joint defence, with the court, denying claims the later versions of Ali Sultan’s will were not valid.
However they agreed with Moe Sultan’s claims that the December 2020 will didn’t represent Ali Sultan’s testamentary intentions.
Two defendants – lawyer Ian Creese and Sultan Holdings project development manager Timothy Lucas – previously rescinded their involvement and are no longer parties to the dispute.
On Wednesday, lawyers for all parties involved appeared in the Supreme Court of Tasmania via video link before Associate Justice Stephen Holt.
He ordered all defendants file affidavit material within 21 days, with a further directions hearing to be held on March 9.
The matter is slated for mediation, and if it does not resolve, will go to trial.
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