Feuding family members of Henry Fok Ying-tung have reached an agreement in principle on how to divide the late tycoon's estate, one of their lawyers told the High Court yesterday. Fok's third son, Benjamin Fok Chun-yue, who initiated the court battle, and his elder brother Ian Fok Chun-wan and other family members are now drafting the legal documents.
Barrister Linda Chan, for Benjamin's sister Nora Fok Lai-lor, told the court that all lawyers in the case are confident a court hearing will be unnecessary.
Justice Jeremy Poon Shiu- chor agreed to further adjourn the case to this afternoon.
It was the fifth time the case has been adjourned since the hearing of the lawsuit brought by Benjamin Fok reached the court on Tuesday.
He initiated the case seeking to remove Ian Fok and elderly aunt Fok Mo-kan as executors of the estate, accusing his brother of taking assets without the knowledge or consent of other executors.
Another 14 Fok family members were named as defendants.
Benjamin Fok is also asking the court to order another older brother, outgoing culture sector lawmaker Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, to hand over their father's financial records.
At the time of his death in 2006, Henry Fok, whose business interests included real estate, casinos and petroleum, had an estimated wealth of US$3.7 billion (HK$28.86 billion). He married three times and had 13 children.
