A 91-YEAR-OLD woman, accompanied by her 43-year-old adopted daughter, went to OCBC Bank in May, asking to close her account containing $8.8 million - but the bank would not let her.

The bank, which said it has doubts about her mental capacity to manage her financial affairs independently, froze her account despite her repeated instructions to take out her money. Madam Hwang Cheng Tsu Hsu, a retired teacher, now 92, then sued the bank to get back her locked-up funds.She first tried to apply for summary judgment - asking the court to make a determination without the need for a full trial - but this was rejected.

In March, Madam Hwang was seen by a psychiatrist of 30 years' experience, who assessed her to be fit to make a will despite mild dementia.

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