Described State Evidence Produced As ‘Hilarious And Disgusting’, As Court Hears Final Arguments Today, Thursday
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Final arguments in the Capitol Building alleged arson attack are expected today, Thursday, June 12, 2025 at the Monrovia City Court, where former House Speaker J. Fonati along with three other lawmakers are in the defendants’ box.
Preliminary examinations hearing has been ongoing before Magistrate L. Ben Barco at the Temple of Justice, where the four sitting Lawmakers’ lawyers say that the evidence adduced is hilarious and disgusting.
Cllr. Kofa, Kamara, Debee and Seboe are currently being charged with multiple offenses ranging from Arson, Criminal facilitation, Criminal Solicitation, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal attempt to commit murder among others.
Speaking through one of their lawyers Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi in the preliminary hearing said the Government of Liberia evidence to prosecute Koffa, Abu B. Kamara, Jacob Debee and Dixon Seboe are not reliable and verifiable.
Cllr. Massaquoi’s argument comes in when the state’s second witness Rafell A. Wilson, chief investigator of the crime services department of the Liberia National Police testified that their open source information gathered as evidence was taken from on social media.
In furtherance of his defense, Cllr. Massaquoi further push the state witness to identify which platform of social media the source of information was gathered since social media is also referred to as blue app which comprises of messenger, WhatsApp, instagram, telegram and X among others but witness Wilson failed to state the main platform they got their evidence against the defendants.
What links the defendants to the connection of the crimes? Cllr. Massaquoi asked; answering the question, the state witness said, Representatives Kofa, Abu B. Kamara, Dixon Seboe, Jacob C. Debee are linked through open source.
witness Wilson defined Open source as any information that is already in the public .He stated that to validate their open source, ex-speaker Koffa and Kamara appeared at the police headquarters where Koffa said, portion of the recording was his voice is and the rest he can ask Abu Kamara claiming that maybe someone was recording the Rep. Kamara but he didn’t know as Rep. Kamara attributed the recording as Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Cllr. Massaquoi again asked witness Wilson to Kindly identify a particular open source for whence he obtained his open-source information from former speaker Koffa and Rep Abu Kamara? He answered via social media.
Following his response to the above question, the Defense lawyer objected to the admission of said communication because the said instrument is not reliable because the particular source was mentioned by the witness on the stand.
Cllr. Massaquoi argued that the investigation claimed to be transparent and there is no shortcut to investigation and the witness said he got his information from social media and social media is a very big platform namely, WhatsApp, messenger, instagram, X, facebook and others.
“The source of the information is not verifiable, reliable and it’s contaminated,” Cllr. Massaquoi said.
Continuing, Cllr. Richard Scott said in law open source of communication is admissible and varieties of things can be discovered.
Also, Cllr. Massaquoi added that the evidence cannot be an admissible test in harmony, and social media is a very big platform which is referred to as the blue app; but Wilson refused to state the main source of the information.
Cllr. Massaquoi further argued that the evidence is not impeachable but rather inadmissible.
However, couurt having listened to the arguments, pros and cons, declined and said that the police should play the recording in open court.
Additionally, the court is not in the position to instruct the Ministry of Justice how to produce evidence and denied the objection of the defense lawyers and order the prosecution to proceed.
The recording was played in court where a voice looks like Rep. Koffa and Abu Kamara were communicating and Abu was heard saying why you always call the president and where are you?
Another recording was played with Rep.Dixon Seboe( Gabo) and Ali where he was heard saying use this I calling you on number, I don’t because I don’t want you to call my own number and you will not be on the internet.”
You know who you are talking to?this is the number you should call me on you Here me because I know you will not be on social media and where are you people now?” Dixon Seboe allegedly asked some of the actors implicated in the Capitol building arson attack case.
Questioning, state second witness, defense lawyers asked, Mr. Witness you testified about Plan A n B amongst the defendants and other actors. What was plan A n B and in both cases who were the people involved in both Plan A n B ?
Wilson answered that there’s nothing in my testimony that I talk about Plan A and something heavy to be done.
Again, defense lawyers asked Mr. Witness, let us concentrate on Plan B since you didn’t talk about plan B. What was plan B and who all involved in B based on your investigation?
He answered and said something heavy to be done as I followed defendant Seboe alias Gago, Abu Kamara, Jacob Dee and Fonati Koffa and others that they can identified.
Defense lawyers, “What did your investigation establish to be plan B? Plan B includes something heavy to be done or the conspiracy consumitted among the defendants to disrupt the legislative session.
Cllr. Koffa and three other lawmakers are being charged for the alleged commission of arson, criminal attempt to commit murder, criminal facilitation, criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation among others.
Meanwhile, magistrate Ben L. Barco has set Thursday 12,2025 for final arguments into the ongoing preliminary examination hearing.