Notary officials in China refuted the old man's relatives' claims. (Representative pic)
An 88-year-old man in China left all his assets, including a property worth 3.3 million yuan ($460,000), to a fruit seller who was not related to him. According to the South China Morning Post, the man, surnamed Ma, died in December 2021. He gifted all his property to the market stall owner, surnamed Liu, and his family in a bid to thank them for the care and support they had given him in the last few years of his life. Mr Ma's will was challenged by his family members, who also occupied the house. However, a court in Shanghai recently decided that the fruit stall owner should inherit the assets of the old man.
According to the SCMP, years ago, Mr Ma had invited Mr Liu, his wife and their three children, who had been living in a shabby place, to move into his home and live with him. However, when the old died in 2021, his three sisters who also occupied the house, refused to hand his bank account certificates to the fruit seller, insisting they were entitled to their brother's money.
Mr Liu then took Mr Ma's family to court. His relatives said the agreement, signed between Mr Ma and Mr Liu in 2020, which stated that Mr Liu was responsible for taking care of the old man until he died when all his property would then be passed to him, was invalid. Mr Ma's family claimed that the 88-year-old had developed mental illness, including Alzheimer's disease, and lacked the psychological capacity to sign the document.
The notary officials in China, however, refuted the relatives' claims and said there was nothing wrong with the old man's mind.
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Now, recently, in a verdict made by the Baoshan District People's Court, the judges concluded the agreement was valid and ordered that Mr Ma's house and any money should be transferred to the fruit seller.
According to the outlet, Mr Ma's and Mr Liu's close relationship began when they met and chatted at the fruit stellar's stall. When Mr Ma's only child died suddenly, Mr Liu handled everything and none of Mr Ma's relatives attended the funeral. In another instance, when Mr Ma was unconscious after a fall at home, it was Mr Liu who found him and took him to the hospital. He was also the only visitor during Mr Ma's stay. Once Mr Ma was discharged, he then invited Mr Liu to live with him.