A former Irish Ambassador to Portugal, Mr John Campbell, who was kidnapped a year ago in Brazil during an official visit by the Taoiseach, has told the High Court that his late wife's will was among the items stolen during the incident.
Mr Campbell, Burleigh Court, Burlington Road, Dublin, successfully applied to the court for permission to prove a copy of the missing will. Mr Campbell, who is retired and who made the application in person, said the only next of kin was himself and his two sons, Marc, with an address in Philadelphia and Johnathan, with an address in London.
His wife, Nicole Yvonne Lafon Campbell, died on May 4th, 2001, and had made a will the previous March.
Mr Campbell told the court he went to Brazil, to where he was accredited from Portugal, in mid-July last year to accompany the Taoiseach on an official visit. He had brought the original will of his wife with the intention of starting procedures for its probate when he returned to Ireland.
On the way to Sao Paolo from the airport, the car in which he and his companions were travelling had a puncture which was probably contrived, he said. They pulled over to change the wheel and were challenged by two men, one with a firearm.
Mr Campbell said the two robbers got into the car along with himself, his three colleagues and the driver, and they were taken off the main route. After 15 minutes, they ended up in a suburb of Sao Paolo. All of his possessions, including his wife's will, were stolen and never recovered.
Mr Justice Kearns said he was glad nobody sustained injury. He added that Sao Paolo had an unfortunate reputation for such incidents. Mr Campbell said he believed some of the people involved in the kidnap had since been caught.
Mr Justice Kearns said he would make an order granting Mr Campbell liberty to prove his wife's will in the terms of a copy.