After a hearing that lasted nearly two weeks, the HCMC People’s Court decided to dismiss the appeal of Chang Koon Yuen, who’d asked court to divide the eight properties he shares with his ex-wife Chau Hong Loan 80:20 in his favor.

The court said that he had signed notarized agreements confirming that these assets belonged to Loan, so there was no ground to divide the assets.  

The court also rejected Yuen’s request that the couple’s separate property agreement and a donation contract between Loan and her relatives are cancelled.

According to the verdict issued by the court of first instance last year, Yuen did not have any legal documents to prove that he was the owner of the eight properties worth VND400 billion ($17.2 million) he’d had with his ex-wife. 

It ruled that Loan was the legitimate owner of six properties in southern provinces. The other two, in the north, were divided 50:50, as neither side was able to prove exclusive ownership. 

However, he didn’t agree with the verdict and filed his appeal with the HCMC People’s Court on April 12.

Yuen and Loan lived together for seven years before they got married in 2003. They have three daughters. After 20 years of being together, they got divorced in April 2016.