The enforcement of the Supreme Court’s mandate to close the testate estate of the late Milad R. Hage now rests with Judge James E. Jones of the Debt Court, who is the special assigned judge to the matter.
But speaking to the Hot Pepper recently, the mother of Nohad Hage Mensah, Edith Hage-Smith, claimed that “records show that Judge Jones has allowed all of the mandated deadlines to slip, and Omu, the girlfriend of the late Milad R. Hage, appears to defy and disrespect the highest court with impunity”.
Hage-Smith said, “For example, the Supreme Court mandated Omu and the Curator to provide proper accounting for their administration of the testate estate from 2014 to present. To this, Omu has outrightly defied and disrespected the court. What is worst is that absolutely no action has been taken against her.
“To add insult to injury, Omu has requested money from the Probate Court and Judge Jones has readily complied. In one such application for money, Omu’s lawyer, Arthur Johnson, copied the Chief Justice of Liberia…Why? Is it for the purpose of intimidation? Furthermore, why encourage disrespect from Omu by awarding her money when she shows no regard for court’s mandates? Omu was given three months since 2022 to provide proper accounting, but she has refused… Then you reward her with beneficiary payments? Why not deny any such payments until she complies as required by law?” Edith Hage-Smith wondered.
According to her, Judge James Jones appears to show bias towards Omu in yet other ways. For example, she said, the Supreme Court mandated that a referee panel be assembled to determine liabilities of the testate estate. “The referee panel was assembled and concluded that Omu took personal loans from Ecobank (about US$200,000), and that she, Omu, is responsible for repaying said personal loan and not the testate estate. The panel also said that the testate estate owes Ecobank about US$60,000. However, ever since the independent referee panel’s report was read in open court Judge Jones has refused to rule as recommended by the referees. Who does this delay benefits? Why did Judge Jones turn around and issue money to Omu without first settling known liabilities?” Nohad Hage Mensah’s mother observed.
“These are reasonable questions because, in yet another example, the Supreme Court mandated that Judge Jones immediately transfer the allegations of fraud regarding title to the Civil Law Court. Omu claims that although she has other properties left for her and her children by the late Milad R. Hage, and from which properties she is currently collecting massive rents, she (Omu) also wants the properties left for Mr. Milad R. Hage’s oldest Liberian daughter, Madam Nohad Hage-Mensah. Judge Jones was mandated to transfer this issue of title dispute to the Civil Law Court since 2022 but he has refused to do so despite many motions filed by Madam Nohad Hage-Mensah urging Judge Jones to follow the mandate of the Supreme Court. What is Judge Jones real motive for the delays since 2022? We are now almost at the end of 2023. The Civil Law Court is the rightful court of jurisdiction because the Probate Court has no jurisdiction over properties of living persons. This fact was made clear in the Supreme Court’s September 2022 ruling. Furthermore, Judge Jones is attempting to collect sequestered rents from properties of living persons although he has no jurisdiction. The rightful court is the Civil Law Court,” Hage Smith argued.
She maintained, “It is for these and other reasons why it appears like Judge E. James Jones seems to favor Omu, the girlfriend of the late Milad R. Hage.”
