After Ex-Speaker Koffa And Several Others Pleaded Not Guilty
FLASHBACK: Ex-Speaker Koffa and other defendants in the early days of the case
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Following a circle of legal rigmarole from the Monrovia City court to Criminal Court “A” and the Supreme Court through various legal proceedings, the case officially commenced on November 18-20,2025 with a thorough selection of jury.
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- In the ongoing Capitol Building arson case involving former Speaker J. Fonati Kofa, three sitting Representatives and several others, government lawyers are this Monday, December 1, 2025 expected to begin producing oral and documentary evidence in Criminal Court.
The evidence is expected to be presented to the court presided over by Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie against the defendant who include Representatives Abu B. Kamara, Kacob Debee, and Dixon Seboe.
It’s so far not known how many witnesses the government’s lawyers are expected to parade in court but as the trial unfolds, the names will be released.
The four lawmakers and others on November 17,2025 pleaded not guilty to the crime of arson and other criminal charges, thereby joining issue with state.
The accused lawmakers requested for a jury trial where the jurors will serve as trail of facts and make a determination before the legal battle should have come to end.
Following a circle of legal rigmarole from the Monrovia City court to Criminal Court “A” and the Supreme Court through various legal proceedings, the case officially commenced on November 18-20,2025 with a thorough selection of jury.
The indictment was read in open court at the Criminal Court at the Temple of Justice on Monday November 17,2025.
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.
Former Speker Koffa, the three other lawmakers and the other defendants were indicted 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.
Recently, 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.