MEENABEN Madhvani, matriarch of the Madhvani family, passed away in Kakira in Uganda in the early hours of Wednesday (29). She was the widow of Jayant Madhvani, the eldest son of Mulji Prabhudas Madhvani, an Indian-born Ugandan businessman, entrepreneur, industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Uganda-based conglomerate Madhvani Group. A senior secretary to the conglomerate confirmed the news. Meenaben was 92 and had been ailing for a while. She is survived by her children Nitin and Nimisha, who is a diplomat.
“We regret to inform you the sad demise of Mrs Meenaben Jayantbhai Madhvani today morning at Kakira. She always loved the Jinja community and SDM temple. It’s a very big loss for the community and Madhvani family. May her soul rest in eternal peace,” Dhiren Mehta of Sanatan Dharam Mandir (SDM) Hindu temple in Jinja, Uganda, said in a message.
He also said a programme in honour of the late matriarch would be announced later, Ugandan news outlet Daily Monitor said.
Meenaben was of Indian descent from Tanzania who married Jayant in Mumbai (then Bombay), India, in 1950. Jayant died of heart attack in India 1971, just months after former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin launched an economic war that resulted in the expulsion of Asians.
Meenaben was known to defy Amin during the expulsion, refusing to leave their residence and her husband’s legacy irrespective of the consequences. It was only after her family pleaded that she relented and went to the neigbouring Kenya.
It was after the fall of Amin in the late 1970s that Meenaben returned to Uganda.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)