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ADNews-Monrovia, Liberia: In what is fast becoming one of the most controversial court dramas in recent Liberian history, former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and four current members of the House of Representatives are defiantly pushing back against allegations linking them to the December 2024 arson attack on the Capitol Building. On the second day of preliminary hearings at the Monrovia City Court, defense attorneys and the accused have painted a picture of a politically charged case built on hearsay, circumstantial claims, and glaring gaps in evidence.
By Benjamin Quaye Johnson benjaminqjohnson@gmail.com
At the heart of the prosecution’s argument is an alleged digital staff chartroom linked to Hon. Koffa’s office, where police claim messages were exchanged following the fire. One of Koffa’s staff members allegedly posted about retrieving a suspect’s phone from the police station to prevent investigators from accessing potential messages relating to the blaze.
However, the defense insists the allegations are both speculative and insufficient to support criminal charges. No direct message has been presented. No physical link has been established. And, most crucially, no motive has been convincingly outlined for why sitting lawmakers, including a former Speaker, would destroy the very institution they swore to protect.
“Let’s be clear,” Hon. Koffa told reporters following Tuesday’s hearing, “If it doesn’t make sense, it’s probably not legal. The police controlled the building at the time. So, how is it that we are being tried, but no police officer is even a suspect?”
According to testimony presented in court, a state witness identified as Thomas Etherege claimed that Koffa was referred to as the “bossman” and may have contributed $1,000 to a group allegedly responsible for the fire. Yet the alleged transaction was neither traced nor corroborated by any bank or mobile money records. No evidence has been submitted showing the flow of funds from Koffa or anyone else involved.
In a particularly striking moment during his remarks, Koffa dismissed the key physical evidence put forward by prosecutors.
“They say they found plastic cuffs and gasoline containers,” he said. “But not at the crime scene. They found them somewhere outside the Capitol’s vicinity. That doesn’t prove anything. It proves desperation.”
He also criticized the state’s reliance on fragmented audio recordings some purportedly placing him at the President’s residence as “a hodgepodge of unrelated recordings” being twisted to fit a weak narrative.
“Being at the President’s house is now a crime?” Koffa asked rhetorically. “The Legislature was tense at the time, yes. But tension is not evidence. Gossip is not guilt.”
Lawyers representing the accused, including Hon. Dixon Seeboe, Amos Koffa, John Nyantee, and Stephen Broh, have moved for immediate dismissal of the charges, arguing that no direct or physical evidence has been produced linking their clients to the crime.
“This case should never have made it this far,” one defense attorney told the press. “It is a distraction, a smear campaign, and an attempt to discredit strong political voices in the country. What we’re seeing is not justice, it’s a judicial ambush.”
The December 18, 2024, blaze that damaged the Joint Chambers of the Legislature sparked national outrage, temporarily suspended legislative activities, and raised alarms about institutional security. Initial investigations pointed to internal sabotage, but no arrests were made for weeks. The sudden emergence of charges against high-profile lawmakers, many of whom have been critical of executive overreach, has left political observers questioning the timing and motivation behind the prosecution.
For many, the case now represents something far bigger than a criminal hearing. It has become a litmus test for Liberia’s democracy, rule of law, and judicial independence.
The Monrovia City Court is expected to rule in the coming weeks on whether the case should proceed to full trial. If the judge grants the motion to dismiss, it would not only be a massive victory for Koffa and his co-defendants, but it could also shake public confidence in the prosecutorial process and trigger renewed scrutiny of how political cases are handled in Liberia.
As the courtroom battles unfold, one thing remains clear: this is more than a fire investigation. It’s a fight for truth, due process, and the very soul of Liberian governance.
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