ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES ACT Chapter 6:01 the Attorney-General or the Master, or upon the information of any person made on oath before any such judge, magistrate or justice of the peace that there is reason to suspect that any will, codicil or other testamentary instrument is concealed in any place within the jurisdiction of such judge, magistrate or justice of the peace, may, by warrant under his hand, cause every such place to be searched. [Section amended by section 4 of Act 12/1997.] 10 Order for delivery of will If any person who is reasonably believed to be in possession of or have under his control any will, codicil or other testamentary instrument, after the death of the testator, refuses or fails to deliver or transmit the same in manner hereinbefore provided, the Master is hereby authorized and required forthwith to apply to the High Court or any judge thereof for an order of such Court or judge on such person forthwith to deliver such will, codicil or other instrument. [Section amended by section 4 of Act 12/1997.] 11 Registration of wills at testator’s death Every deed being or purporting to be the will, codicil or other testamentary instrument of any person which has been deposited with or transmitted to the Master or Assistant Master, as the case may be, in manner hereinbefore provided shall, after the death of the maker thereof, be registered by the Master or Assistant Master, as the case may be, in his Register of Wills, for which purpose the Master and the Assistant Master are hereby authorized and required to open or cause to be opened every such deed which may be sealed up: Provided that— (i) notwithstanding any such registration all questions as to the validity and legal effect of every such deed shall be reserved and remain for the decision of the High Court; (ii) where such deed has been deposited with the Master or Assistant Master previous to the death of the maker thereof, the Master or Assistant Master, as the case may be, shall cause the duplicate or copy deposited with the said deed to be examined and compared with the original, and if need be corrected, and shall authenticate such duplicate or copy with his signature, and shall transmit the same if the deceased ordinarily resided at the time of his death in any district other than the district of Bulawayo or Harare, to the magistrate for such first-mentioned district, and the said magistrate shall cause the same to be filed and registered. [Section amended by section 4 of Act 12/1997.] Inventories 12 Inventory of estate in community (1) When one of two spouses who have been married in community of property dies, the survivor shall, within thirty days after the death of the deceased, cause an inventory of all property, goods 10 Reissue

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