The estate of murdered State prosecutor Dana Saroop Seetahal is valued at TT$18,411,682.89.
The estate is bequeathed to her siblings, nieces and nephews, brother-in-law, a friend and the entire staff at her El Dorado Law Chambers at St Vincent Street, Port of Spain, which she once headed. The will, obtained by the Express, was dated and signed by Seetahal on August 24, 2010.
The two witnesses who signed the will are listed as attorney Cherrise M Nixon and administrative assistant Darryl Lewis. Seetahal was never married. Among the assets valued were her townhouse in St Augustine; her interest in One Woodbrook Place; property at 120A St Vincent Street, Port of Spain; parcels of land in Mayaro and Tamana; savings; law books and jewelry. Seetahal’s friend, attorney and former government minister Christine Sahadeo, is listed as the sole executrix. An application for grant of probate was made on August 6 at the Hall of Justice. The will—registered as No L 1844 of 2014—was proved in the High Court on September 5 and received by the Registrar General Department on September 26.
And while Seetahal did not indicate her exact savings lodged at Republic Bank Ltd and General Finance Corporation, her wish was that after payment of her debts—which include a mortgage, funeral and testamentary expenses—all monies standing in the accounts are to be equally divided among her ten nephews and nieces—namely, Janine Seetahal, Leanna Seetahal, Lendl Seetahal, Danielle Francois, Philippe Francois, Davenand Persad, Shivanand Persad, Melissa Persad, Roma Seetahal and Shivam Seetahal. Her shareholdings at the Unit Trust Corporation go to her sisters, Cynthia Rosey Seetahal, Elaine Teemul and Amelia Seetahal Persad.
Seetahal also did not forget the tedious hours staff toiled to ensure she was well prepared in court matters and instructed that any vehicle she owned at the time of her death is to be sold and the proceeds divided among staff who have been employed for more than a year, with 40 per cent going toward her personal assistant, 30 per cent to her chief clerk and the balance to be divided among the rest of staff. The vehicle Seetahal was driving at the time of her death has been impounded by the police. Her friend, Merlin Boyce, was also left the sum of $25,000. To her sisters, Marilyn Seetahal and Susan Francois, who is the director of Financial Intelligence Unit, Seetahal left the property located at St Vincent Street, Port of Spain, to be shared equally between them. The law books, legal material and all office furniture and furnishings go to Seetahal’s niece, Leanna Seetahal, as well as the rights to the text book Commonwealth Caribbean Practice and Procedure. Brothers Omar and Kenrick Seetahal were given a parcel of land situated in Mayaro to be divided between them; while Seetahal’s brother-in-law, Roodal Persad, is to be allowed use of a parcel of land in Tamana. The land is to be left for Persad’s son. The townhouse located at Gordon Street Villas, St Augustine, was left for niece Janine Seetahal; with her other niece, Danielle Francois, being allowed to remove any furniture (including paintings) or personal possessions that may benefit her. Seetahal also instructed that her interest in One Woodbrook Place is to be sold and divided equally among her nieces, Leanna Seetahal and Danielle Francois, and her nephew, Philippe Francois. Her jewelry was left to niece Danielle Francois.
Dana Seetahal, SC, was shot dead on May 4 while driving her Volkswagen SUV along Hamilton Holder Street in Woodbrook. She had just left the popular Ma Pau Casino nearby, when gunmen opened fire, shooting her five times. No one has been arrested for her murder. At the time of her murder, Seetahal was one of the prosecutors assigned to the Vindra Naipaul-Coolman murder trial, which is still ongoing.
