Court Accepts Lawmakers’ 440K Bond
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia –Shortly after he and three other Lawmakers were released from the Monrovia Central Prison on Monday, June 8, 2025, former House Speaker, Cllr. Fonati Koffa has denied allegations linking them to arson and other crimes at the Capitol Building in December 2024.
The Monrovia City Court Magistrate, Ben L. Barco accepted a property bond valued over four hundred thousand United States dollars for the four detained lawmakers to secure their release.
The four lawmakers were on Friday June 6,2025 charged with ARSON, CRIMINAL MISCHIEF, CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, CRIMINAL SOLICITATION, CRIMINAL INTENT TO COMMIT MURDER, AGGREVATED ASSAULT, ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF FIREARM, RELEASE OF DISTRIBUTION OF FORCERA THEFT OF PROPERTY
But speaking to Journalists shortly after their release, Cllr. Koffa said the Police evidence they say they have is not credible and vowed that their legal team will deconstruct the allegations in court.
The indictment said,
That, we, Dixon W. Seboe, Abu B. Kamara, J. Fonati Koffa and Jacob C. Debbie of City of Monrovia, Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia, Defendants and Jonda Janet Koffa & Marjan Mona Koffa, Sureties, freeholders and householders within the Republic of Liberia, do hereby bind ourselves, legal representatives, assigns and successors in-interest, jointly and severally, unto the said Dixon W. Seboe, Abu B. Kamara, J. Fonati Koffa and Jacob C. Debbie of the City of Monrovia, Republic of Liberia, herein, in the amount of US$440,000.00 (United States Dollars Four Hundred Forty Thousand).
That Jonda Janet Koffa & Marjan Mona Koffa are the owners of the properties herein offered as Security for said Criminal Appearance Bond.
The condition of the Bond is that the Defendants, Dixon W. Seboe, Abu B. Kamara, J. Fonati Koffa and Jacob C. Debbie of the City of Monrovia, Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia, will appear before the Monrovia City Court, Temple of Justice, Republic of Liberia as and when required, until the case may be removed, to answer to the charges of arson, criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation, criminal intent to commit murder, aggravated assault, illegal possession of firearm, release of distribution of forcer & theft of property, and will remain under the jurisdiction of the said Court until duly discharged, and if convicted of said charge, will surrender ourselves unto the custody of the Sheriff of said Court to undergo the full sentence of the law.
Meanwhile, former House Speaker and his colleagues have been released from detention pending court trial.
Former Liberian President George M. Weah today June 9th 2025, visited the Monrovia City Court to stand in solidarity of his detained partisans involving ex-House Speaker Jonathan Fonati Kofa and three other lawmakers.
Ex-President Weah was accompanied by former Foreign Minister Dee Maxwell Kamayah, former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, former Chief of Protocol Finda Nora Budoo, Senator Nathaniel Mccgill and Senator Augustine Chea, Representative Frank Saah Foko among several others.
Following his appearance at the Monrovia City Court, he entered the magistrate chamber and sit there for about ten minutes before leaving.
On Friday June 6,2025, the Liberia National Police investigated, charged and forwarded to court four lawmakers in connections to the arson attack on the seat of the Liberian parliament.
The lawmakers were charged with multiple charges ranging from arson Criminal attempt to commit to murder, Criminal facilitation, Criminal mischief, Criminal Solicitation and Criminal conspiracy, recklessly endangering another person among others.
The police charged said, the alleged act of the lawmakers are in violation of Chapter 15, Section 15.1,Chapter 15, Section 15.5,Chapter 14, Section 14.23, Chapter 10, Section 10.1,Chapter 10, Section 10.2,Chapter 10, Section 10.3, and Chapter 10, Section 10.4.