Mabel Strickland’s nephew and son of former Prime Minister Gerald Strickland has told a court that the will his late aunt had left in his name had beem altered in 1979 while he was away from the island and living in Britain.

Robert Hornyold Strickland made the claims when he was testifying before Magistrate Silvio Meli in a case he filed against the Strickland Foundation. Mr Hornyold Strickland today owns a 13.3% share of Allied Newspapers.

Without revealing any names, he claimed that the will had been altered, also denying him the right to inherit Villa Parisio in Lija where he had lived with his aunt.

He said: "Mabel Strickland had showed me her will. Mabel had showed interest in adopting me, and to our surprise legislation was suddenly changed, preventing the adoption to move forward."

He added that a rumour had been spread that she was to marry him.

According to Hornyold Strickland, the trouble started after Mabel Strickland passed away in November 1988.

“The beds and the baths were removed to make it as though Villa Parisio is not inhabitable any longer. Later, the Villa housed the Strickland Foundation,” he said.

The witness expressed sheer disappointment over not having been given access to his aunt’s correspondence that had been allegedly been found in her Lija villa.

The case is set to continue in February.