Civil Court Finds Nohad Hage Mensah Liable for Falsifying Estate Deeds

Monrovia, Liberia: A jury at the Civil Law Court jury has found Nohad Hage Mensah, daughter of the late Lebanese businessman Millad Hage, liable for falsifying property deeds linked to her father’s estate.

The 12-member jury concluded that Nohad illegally altered property documents and wrongfully collected rental fees from tenants occupying portions of the estate.

Legal Battle Stemming from 2018 Complaint

The verdict follows years of litigation after Oumou Sirleaf Hage, widow of the late businessman, filed a complaint in 2018. Madam Hage accused her stepdaughter of presenting fake deeds to claim ownership of family properties.

In picture: Nohad Hage Mensah, daughter of the late Lebanese businessman Millad Hage

The trial was initiated under a Supreme Court mandate after Madam Hage challenged an earlier ruling by then-Probate Court Judge Boimah Kontoe, who had transferred the disputed properties to Nohad based on deeds Madam Hage alleged were fraudulent.

Disputed Properties at the Center of the Case

The contested properties, located in Monrovia’s Red Light Community, include:

• 2.5 lots purchased from John and Beatrice Dozen, which Madam Hage says were intended for her and her biological children.

• 1 lot purchased from Rev. May Roberts, which she acknowledges legally belongs to Nohad and other children.

During proceedings, the Civil Law Court emphasized that fraud claims related to property titles in probate cases must be fully reviewed by the Civil Division of the Circuit Court, a procedure followed in this case.

Widow Testifies Against Stepdaughter

Madam Hage told the court that Nohad had no connection to the original property purchases, which were made solely by her late husband.

“When Nohad brought those deeds, it was surprising. How can you be the landlord, sell land to my husband, then turn around and sell the same land to his daughter with different deeds?” she testified.

She added that the original deeds had been used as collateral at Ecobank to help her late husband settle loans with LBDI and IB Bank. “He took the money and continued with his project,” she explained.

Court Reaffirms Legal Process for Fraud Claims

The Civil Law Court reaffirmed that all allegations of fraud in property titles arising from probate proceedings must go through the Civil Division for full trial, ensuring due process and legal compliance.