By Eric Opa Doue/River Cess County
The 14th Judicial Circuit Court in River Cess County has convicted Saah Joseph Nyumah and T. Max Zor for their roles in the brazen theft of US$234,843 from Last Mile Health’s River Cess program.
The verdict, handed down on Friday, July 10, 2026, by Judge Blamo Dixon, followed a tense six-week bench trial in which the judge served as sole trier of fact. The convictions cover Theft of Property, Misapplication of Entrusted Property, and Criminal Conspiracy, crimes that prosecutors argued undermined vital healthcare services in one of Liberia’s most vulnerable counties.
Court records reveal that the case stemmed from a Grand Jury indictment during the August 2025 Term of Court. Nyumah, Zor, along with codefendants Isaac Weah and Morris Tamba, were accused of siphoning funds between August 27, 2021, and July 29, 2022, while entrusted with financial responsibilities at Last Mile Health.
Among the damning allegations: A US$6,000 withdrawal with no supporting documentation, failure to account for US$42,112 in program funds, use of split procurements to dodge financial policies requiring approval for purchases above US$10,000, multiple checks issued to the same vendors on the same dates for fuel and spare parts, in violation of procurement rules, and
While Nyumah and Zor now face sentencing, codefendant Isaac Weah remains at large, his case still pending. Meanwhile, the trial of Morris Tamba has been transferred to Grand Bassa County, where proceedings will continue.
The ruling underscores the judiciary’s growing resolve to tackle corruption in Liberia’s aid dependent health sector. For River Cess residents, however, the conviction is bittersweet: stolen funds meant to strengthen community health systems may never be recovered, leaving lasting scars on a program designed to save lives.
As the gavel fell, Judge Dixon’s decision signaled a stern warning—those who betray public trust in the name of greed will face the full weight of the law.
