Bunny Wailer’s Son Responds To Call For DNA Tests Ahead Of Court Battle
Abijah Asadenaki Livingston, the son of Reggae legend Bunny Wailer, appears to have reacted to reports that he and his 12 siblings are required to take DNA tests to establish paternity, in order to access benefits from their father’s estate.
In an Instagram post on Monday—over an instrumental of Still D.R.E. by Dr. Dre—Asadenaki freestyled that he’d “pass” such a DNA test. He also chanted “Weh Sister Jean deh?” before mentioning his lawyer and alluding to a legal battle over the estate of the legendary singer.
Lawyers for Asadenaki have since filed an application in the Supreme Court to remove his uncle, Carlton Livingston, as a co-executor of the estate on the basis that he has failed to account for monies collected on behalf of the estate, failed to protect the artifacts of the estate, allowed a third party to interfere/intermingle in the business dealings of the estate. The application further alleges that the beneficiaries have lost confidence in Carlton Livingston as an executor.
In the affidavit, there is also a clause that challenges the legitimacy of the DNA samples allegedly taken from Bunny Wailer’s body to establish paternity.
The case will be heard in the Supreme Court on January 10, 2022.
Sister Jean, born Jean Watt, was reported missing in May 2020. Before his death in March 2021, Bunny Wailer and the family had organized a search for the woman and later offered a one million Jamaican dollar reward in a public appeal with the hope that she is found safe and sound.
Jah B’s will, a copy of which was seen by DancehallMag, listed his 13 children by name as beneficiaries, and made a further provision for any other child to come forward to establish “paternal descent by DNA evidence”.
The 13 children were sired with 11 different women.
Under the first clause, Livingston declared that he wanted “to transfer, assign and hold a 28 percentage share and interest in the subject property in trust for my issue named or described under who shall establish their paternal descent from me as my issue by DNA testing and certification by a reputable scientific laboratory facility to the satisfaction of my trustees.”
In the second clause, it is established that his wife Sister Jean’s share is four percent “for her natural life” and “in remainder my children who has satisfied the criteria described above.”
In the third clause, “in consideration of services rendered for me and on my behalf”, Livingston transferred a 15 percent share and interest in the subject property in trust to Maxine Stowe.
The Blackheart Man singer passed away on Tuesday, March 2 at the age of 73. Wailer, whose real name was Neville Livingston, had an illustrious career that spanned several decades. He was the last surviving member of the original Wailers that included Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.
In June, he was buried at his Dreamland Farm, a 142-acre estate located snugly on the border of St Thomas and Portland.