He And Six Others, Including 3 Sitting Lawmakers Are Poised To Challenge Arson And Other Criminal Charges
The above-named lawmakers and persons were indicted on for several offenses ranging from Arson, Criminal Attempt to commit murder, Criminal solicitation, Criminal Conspiracy, criminal mischief, recklessly endangering another person, release of destructive forces, Aggravated Assault, theft of property among others.
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia– Criminal Court “A” has set this Thursday, August 28,2025 to start the full trial of the Capitol Building arson case allegedly involving former House Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Kofa, Representatives Dixon Seboe, Jacob C. Dabee and Abu B. Kamara, among others.
Former Speaker and his fellow lawmakers will be tried along with Thomas Etheridge, Kivi Bah alias Kaba, Jerry Pokah alias Tyrese, Stephen M. Broh, John Nyanti, Eric Susay, Christian Kofa and others to be identified.
The notice of assignment reads, YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED TO NOTIFY THE PARTIES here IN THE ABOVE CAPTIONED CASE TO APPEAR BEFORE THE FIRST Judicial CIRCUIT Court, ,ASSIZES “A” FOR MONTSERRADO COURTY, REPUBLIC OF Liberia SITTING its AUGUST TERM, AD. 2025, AT THE Criminal COURT” A” at the TEMPLE OF JUSTICE BUILDING Monrovia the 28 DAY OF August AD. 2025 AT THE PRECISE HOUR OF 10:00 AM.
YOU ARE FURTHER COMMANDED TO SERVE THIS NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT BY LEAVING A COPY With THE CONCERNED PARTIES OR THEIR COUNSELS AND HAVE THEM SIGNED FOR SAVE, AND YOU WILL THEREFORE, MAke YOUR OFFICIAL RETURNS ON THE BACK OF THE ORIGINAL COPY AND ENDORSE THEREON YOUR SIGNATURE, AND HAVE SAME FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE HONOURABLE COURT
Recently, defendants Thomas Etheridge, John Nyanti, Christian Kofa, Kivi Bah, Jerry Pokah and Stephen Broh were denied bond in Criminal Court A after surety Patrick J. Cole failed to justify his property bond filed on behalf of the defendants. Surety Patrick J. Cole failed to provide accurate documents leading to his US$500,000 property valuation bond filed for the jailed defendants in connection with the December 2024 arson attack on the Capitol Building, testified on August 19,2025 claiming that the bond is faked.
Assistant Commission for Real Estate Tax, Mr. James A. Jabar, in his testimony said, they reviewed the Real Property Tax Bill and the Statement of Property Valuation and realized that they did not originate from the LRA, “and are hereby fraudulent, misleading and misrepresentation to the Court.
IN VIEW THEREFORE AND PREDICATED UPON THE ARGUMENTS RAISED BY THE PARTIES, THEIR LAW CITATIONS AND OTHER CITATIONS AS HEREIN RAISED BY THE COURT, the Defendants are hereby denied bail for release based on the following:
- That since the Property Valuation Bond covers all of the Defendants; namely, Christian Koffa, John Nyanti, Eric Susay, Thomas Isaac Etheridge, Gabriel Fansieh and Stephen Broh and the documents thereto to prove its validity, which were deemed by the expert or representative of the Liberia Revenue Authority, Mr. James Afif Jabar, Assistant Commissioner, Real Estate Tax Division, as faked, fraudulent and invalid, they cannot be released.
- The Court in its Thursday August 21,2025 ruling stated That since the Prosecution did not name Defendants Christian Koffa, Gabriel Fansieh and Stephen Broh as flight risk, if the Defense Counsel can make the necessary correction to have the Property Valuation Bond legally valid, authentic and free from all fraudulent transactions, they can be released on bail. This is the ruling of the Court. But the Amicis Curiae appointed by the court excepted to the Judge’s ruling and said, it take advantage of the statute controlling.
The defendant John Nyanti, Thomas Etheridge, Eric Susay, Stephen Broh, Kivi Bah, Christian Kofa being Charged under the Revised Penal Code of Liberia:Arson (Chapter 15, Section 15.1),Criminal Mischief (Chapter 15, Section 15.5),Recklessly Endangering Another Person (Chapter 14, Section 14.23),Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder (Chapter 10, Section 10.1),Criminal Facilitation (Chapter 10, Section 10.2),Criminal Solicitation (Chapter 10, Section 10.3),Criminal Conspiracy (Chapter 10, Section 10.4)
Indictment Against the Lawmakers
The government of Liberia through the Justice Ministry indicted former Speaker Jonathan Fonati Kofa Koffa and his fellow colleagues including Thomas Etheridge, Eric Susay, Kivi Bah, Stephen Broh, John Nyanti and Jerry Pokah among others.
The grand jury brought out their true bill against the lawmakers and others on June 16, 2025.
The above-named lawmakers and persons were indicted on for several offenses ranging from Arson, Criminal Attempt to commit murder, Criminal solicitation, Criminal Conspiracy, criminal mischief, recklessly endangering another person, release of destructive forces, Aggravated Assault, theft of property among others.
The indictment against the lawmakers and those alleged to be connected came at the result of the sitting of a special grand jury of Montserrado County.
The grand jury has four different groups who were able to find probable cause against the lawmakers and those who were earlier arrested and detained and came out with a true bill against them.
Stephen M. Broh, Abu B. Kamara, Jacob C. Deebie, Christian Kofa, Amos Kofa, Eric Sesay. Patience Bestman, Grace Johnson, Thomas Isaac Etheridge AKA Tom and others to be identified, Committed the crimes of Arson a felony of the second degree, Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder a felony of the second degree, Criminal Mischief, Criminal Conspiracy a felony of the second degree Criminal Solicitation a felony of the second degree, Release of Destructive Forces a felony of the second degree, Reckless Burning or Exploding a felony of the third degree, Criminal Facilitation a felony of the third degree, Recklessly Endangering Another Person a misdemeanor of the first degree to wit:
The indictment alleged that, with the support and facilitation of Co-Defendants Dixon W. Seboe, J. Fonati Koffa, Abu B. Kamara, and Jacob C. Deebie, you co-defendants Kivi Bah alias Kaba, Jerry Pokah alias Tyrese, John Nyanti, Stephen M. Broh, Christian Kofa, Amos Kofa, Eric Sesay, Thomas Isaac Etheridge AKA Tom and others to be identified purposely set ablaze the joint chambers of the Capitol Building, the House of the national legislature, lying and situated on the Capitol Bye-Pass in Monrovia, as if that was not enough.
It further stated that, after this devilish act committed by you and your co-defendants, you went and took a pen and paper, and wrote explaining how you and your co-defendants intentionally set the Capitol Building ablaze to Dixon W. Seboe.
According to the indictment, defendant Kevi Bah alias Kaba while still narrating in the letter to Dixon W. Seboe how you and your co-defendants intentionally burnt the Capitol Building, you also stated that letter that during the night hours of December 17, 2024, you and your co-defendants had a discussion around the used car parking lot, located opposite CONEX Gas station, on Jallah town Road. Further, you defendant Kevi Bah alias Kaba said that during that discussion, you and your co-defendant finally agreed to burn the Capitol Building on December 18, 2024.
Furthermore, the indictment stated that,on the same December 17, 2024 during the morning time at 0500hrs, after you and your co-defendants have conspired and planned all night, you all agreed and co-defendant Christian Kofa and other co-defendants went and got gasoline, and set ablaze the joint chambers of the Capitol Building, and damaged chairs and cut electric and electronic wires in the joint chambers of the Capitol building, thus sustaining a loss of Three Million Seven Hundred Eighty-Eight Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$3,788,500.00)
However, co-defendant Eric Susay while carrying his devilish attack on the 17 day of December 2024, you were on audio university SM number +2317 0397654, and making a call and telling co-defendant Thomas Etheridge that and your co-defendants were in readiness to receive the gasoline to commence the arson attack on the Capitol Building.
In another audio recording, you Defendant Eric Susay can be heard saying to your co-defendants that “we dirty the police officer (Sgt. Amara Bility), and left him lying on the street, and have taken his service weapon away and gave it to former EPS officers.”
In the same audio recording of December 17, 2024, you Defendant Eric Susay can be heard complaining to co-defendant Thomas Isaac Etheridge and stating that “you are calling co-defendant janjay, but you are not getting him,” also, that you are requesting co-defendant Thomas to come and give him money to purchase gasoline and prepare petrol bombs to be used on the police officers, Hon. James Kolleh of the majority group house in Congo Town, LRJ Hotel where the majority bloc meet and personal vehicles of the majority bloc.
Meanwhile, during the same night of the planning process on December 17, 2024, you co-defendants Amos Koffa and Thomas Etheridge can be heard discussing on audio the execution of the operation, which includes putting men in position to participate in the burning of the Capital building, and to shoot any police officer who will try to stop you.
Narrating further, the indictment avers that In the same audio conversation, on December 17.2024, you co-defendant Amos Kofa was heard asking Thomas Etheridge whether “he saw the materials to be used in the burning of the Capitol Building in the building”
Further, that you Defendant Amos Koffa called co-Defendant Thomas Etheridge on December 18, 2024 and confirmed to him that the Capitol Building was on fire: while still on the line, co-defendant Thomas Etheridge directed you Defendant Amos Kofa to go to Hon. J. Fonati Koffa’s house opposite former vice president Jewel Howard Taylor’s residence, behind YWCA building in Congo Town.
Meanwhile, you Defendants Thomas Etheridge and Amos Koffa during your planning of this wicked act, can also be heard saying “we will use tear gas and chlorine in the joint chambers to dislodge lawmakers from the majority bloc not to have access to the joint Chamber for session.
Co-Defendants Harrilyn Grace Johnson and Patience Bestman who are part of the social media chatroom of Co-Defendant J. Fornati Koffa office had knowledge of the planning and execution of the destruction of the Capitol Building and actively conspired to conceal evidence relating thereto contained on Co-Defendant Thomas Isaac Etheridge’s phone.
The Monrovia City Court Magistrate Ben L. Barco heard the preliminary examination of the evidence against the lawmakers and ruled based on unauthenticated social media evidence in which the prosecution continuously referred to open source.
Immediately, after his ruling, the case was transferred to Criminal Court A for onward trial if a probable cause could be established against them.
During the preliminary hearing, state prosecutors failed to show where they got their open source evidence from something that was objected to by the defense team.
The social media evidence which didn’t show location where it was generated met a strong resistance due to its validity or relevance.
During his ruling in the preliminary examination hearing, Magistrate Barco one issue to determine the case.
“Hence, the sole issue for the determination of this court is whether or not Prosecution did establish a prima facie case, such that Defendants can be held to further answer to the crimes as charged herein above”?
Before answering the above legal question, Magistrate Barco stated, he shall look at the applicable laws instructive on this matter and the facts. Section 12.2 of the Criminal Procedure Law provides that “The accused shall be afforded a preliminary examination after his/her first appearance before the magistrate or justice of the peace.
According to him, If the magistrate or justice of the peace determines that a prima facie case has been established against the accused, the magistrate or justice of the peace… shall hold him/her to answer.
Magistrate Barco referenced RL v Chakpadeh, 35 LLR 715 (1988), Syllabus 4, the Supreme Court opined that a “Prima facie case is [ a case] evidence sufficient to establish the fact unless rebutted.”
He added That presupposes all Prosecution needs to establish is that a crime was committed, and that it is likely that the accused might have committed the crime. Hence, the standard in establishing a prima facie case is not proof beyond reasonable doubt but a determination as to the existence of a probable cause-that is, a reasonable ground to suspect that a person has committed a crime. See the Ninth Edition of Black’s Law Dictionary, p. 1321.
In his ruling, Judge narrated that The allegations in this complaint are that the above-named defendants of the City of Monrovia, through telephone conversations and other means, criminally connived, conspired, sponsored and purchased explosives, including gasoline which were used to set ublaze the Joint Chambers of the Capitol Building housing the Liberian Legislature on December 17. 2024, thereby causing damages to the said Joint Chambers at the cost of over SS1. 800,000.00 (1.8 million United States Dollars).
He further that, The complaint further alleges that previous to the December 17th incident and in the aftermath of a riot, Defendants brutally attacked or caused to be attacked a police officer and left him unconscious: whereas, they confiscated his gun and converted the same into their personal use.
He asserted that, State witnesses were corroborative in the description of the events leading up to the burning of the Capitol, such that they also described the roles cach of the defendants played in the conspiracy. Defendant Dixon Seboe is particularly named as the person who cooked the conspiracy, to the effect that he recruited and manipulated persons to burn the Joint Chambers of the Capitol Building, and thereafter, facilitated their escape.
Whereas Defendant Abu Kamara, as one of the financiers of the plot, is also accused of having recruited people he referred to as actors to help in the burning of the Capitol.
For his part. Prosecution witnesses narrated the role of Defendant 1. Fonati Koffa as one of the financiers behind the plot.
They also accused Koffa of being aware of the burning of the Capitol even before the incident as he was part of a chatroom where the plot was hatched or planned the ruling said.
For Defendant Jacob Debbie. he is said to have been aware of the plot. by listening to a conversation regarding same, but took no action either before or after the incident to inform law enforcement authority, which inaction defines his complicity.
Judge Barco maintained that , These narratives are sufficient grounds to establish probable cause. Therefore, it is the holding of this Court that Prosecution has established a prima face case, such that Defendants can be held to further answer to the crimes as charged.
Wherefore and in view of the foregoing. The Clerk of Court is hereby ordered to transmit the records of this case along with the defendants to Criminal Court “A” consistent with law and practice in vogue.
To which ruling of Your Honor, defendants except and announce that they shall take advantage of the law controlling in this jurisdiction. And respectfully submit.
THE COURT: Defense exception is hereby noted and it is hereby so ordered.
During the hearing, prosecution paraded two witnesses from the Liberia National Police Crime Services Investigation department.