The ACT Supreme Court has overturned a will created on the basis that “one boy is equal to two girls” and therefore sons should get double the inheritance of daughters.

Fatama Omari challenged the legitimacy of the will of her mother, Canberra woman Mariem Omari, saying she had not known what she was doing when she signed it in January 2002 – two months before she moved to a nursing home.

As one of five daughters, Fatama Omari received just a half share of the estate according to the will, while her three brothers received a full share each.

Master David Harper said the will followed a precedent for Muslims, and Imam Adama Konda confirmed during the hearing that “the standard expectation is that a Muslim will leave full shares to sons and half shares to daughters”.

“He said that one boy is equal to two girls,” he said.