Mother's appeal over Anita Mui's will 'without merit'

A Court of Final Appeal case brought by the mother of singer Anita Mui Yim-fong over her daughter's fortune amounted to 'hostile litigation', the court has ruled.

Tam Mei-kam, 87, who had been challenging the validity of her daughter's will, lost her attempt to overturn previous rulings against her in the city's top court on May 9. The court yesterday handed down the reasons for dismissing her appeal.

'The appeal is entirely without merit. The respondents should not be vexed by one appeal after another,' Mr Justice Patrick Chan Siu-oi said.

The court ordered Tam to pay the legal costs of the four respondents: HSBC International Trustee - trustees of Mui's will - and the Karen Trust, New Horizon Buddhist Association and fashion designer Eddie Lau Pui-kai. Costs that cannot be recovered from her will be paid out of the estate. Before the case reached the top court, Tam had spent close to HK$6 million on her own legal costs.

While Tam would have to indemnify the estate for such payments, Chan said it was hoped that Mui's wish to allow her mother to maintain her previous lifestyle - with one chauffeur and two domestic helpers - would be respected.

The court held that there was no basis for casting suspicion on the validity of the will and the trust deed.

Mui died in 2003 of cervical cancer. Before her death, she made a will and set up the Karen Trust. The will said Mui's assets would go to the Karen Trust, which provided Tam with a HK$70,000 monthly allowance. The balance after Tam's death would go to the Buddhist group.