As Koffa And Other Lawmakers’ Trial Begins, What And Who Set The Capitol Building Ablaze?
The trial of the December 2024 alleged arson attack has started at the Monrovia City Court, with a preliminary hearing, with certain critical questions being asked the state witness by the defendants through their lawyers.
Former Speaker Koffa and the others were over the weekend charged by the Liberia National Police with multiple offenses and forwarded to Court in connection to the burning of the Capitol Building fire in December 2024.
They have been charged with arson, criminal attempt to commit murder, criminal facilitation, Criminal solicitation, Criminal conspiracy, making false statement to law enforcement officers, among others.
Legal Counsels for former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and three other lawmakers, Cllr. M. Wilkins Wright repeatedly asked the state witness to clearly state the role the four lawmakers played in burning the Capitol Building, since all four of the charges are the same and who did what?
The questions of Cllr. Wright came after state prosecutor first witness Peter W. Johnson explained the defendants’ connection or link to the alleged burning of the Capitol Building through an audio recording and a WhatsApp chatroom conversations obtained by the investigation from the previous defendants Thomas Ethridge and others who are currently in prison at the Monrovia Central Prison (South Beach).
State witness Johnson on the witness stand first witness testified that during the investigation of the four lawmakers, they obtained a voice recording where all the four lawmakers’ voices were heard in that recording but Rep. Abu Kamara denied the recording and referred to it as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and he couldn’t continue with the investigation, because his blood pressure was high.
The five lawmakers are currently undergoing preliminary examination hearings on charges of Arson, Criminal Facilitation, Criminal Solicitation, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder among other crimes.
On the cross examination, Cllr. Wright also asked witness Johnson to tell whether all the defendants lit the matches together to burn the Capitol Building or what role each of the defendants played in the commission of the crime but state witness responded that initially, he appeared in court during the preliminary examination hearing of Thomas Ethridge and Eric Susay, he said investigation will continue and for now, we have five lawmakers including Thomas Ethridge, Eric Susay, Steven Broh, Kivi Bah, John Nyanti, Jerry Pokah and others are the defendants.
Witness Johnson further testified and alleged that Representative J. Fonati Koffa is the chief financier behind the burning of the Capitol Building due to a conversation from a senior staff WhatsApp chat room in which Cllr. Koffa is a member.
The Chief Inspector for Criminal Investigation stated that Abu Kamara was asked as to his relationship of his lieutenant who was moving between him (Abu Kamara and Dixon Seboe) in person of Amos Koffa to be identified and he told the investigation that he could not remember anything as he said his pressure was up.
Continuing his testimony, the investigation accorded him a break then started with Dixon, the Chief Architect, organizer of the fire incident.
“Honorable Seboe now defendant before this court and all of the actors in this trial had prior meeting or friendship before the incident of Thomas Ethridge, as we speak in this court, Ethridge was assigned with now Defendant Fonati Koffa,” Johnson said.
On the witness stand, Johnson said Amos Koffa works with the House of Representatives, John Nyanti worked in the House of Representatives with Dixon Seboe, Steven Broh and other persons also work In the House of Representatives and the names I just called with the exception of Eric Susay and Thomas Ethridge.
Witness Johnson testified that Seboe contacted them, he used John Nyanti, Amos Koffa and the other defendant to structure and organize the burning of the Capitol Building on the day of the commission of the crime.
Witness Johnson testified that Defendant Koffa got information because they had a senior staff chatroom in Koffa’s office where information was exchanged.
Narrating Johnson said, in the senior staff chatroom, the investigator saw two of Koffa’s staffs requesting that Thomas Ethridge was at the police station and needed somebody to quickly come to the police station to get his phone to avoid the security from identifying those messages that were in Thomas’ phone regarding the fire incident.
During his testimony, he alleged that Representative Koffa is a member of the chatroom, so he saw the messages.
According to Johnson, Koffa is one of the financiers of the group that burned the Capitol Building Joint Chambers of the legislature.
Explaining further on the stand, Chief Inspector Johnson said, defendant Thomas Ethridge informed police investigators that former Speaker Koffa is referred to as ‘Higher Up’ or boss man.
Defendant Ethridge said, he received $1,000 to pay those persons that were involved in the commission of the crime.
In the issue of conspiracy, the witness linked the four defendants to conspiracy; stating that once you agree with another person without knowing the other person who is a conspirator in the commission of a crime and you act in the form and manner that means defendant, Koffa acted.
Cross examining Johnson, Cllr. Wright questioned whether it was due to the word Alimo Koffa used on his facebook page that got him involved?
Answering, the witness said Rep. Koffa wasn’t charged because of the word used on his Facebook page ‘Alimo’ but the word Alimo was used to motivate his soldiers to commit the crime looking at the definition of Alimo from the investigative standpoint; it was used to motivate his soldiers to commit the crime.
As for her part, Priscilla Cooper of District #5 Montserrado County through her lawyers, George B. Kailanlo and Sylvester Yomie waived preliminary examination hearing
Meanwhile, Magistrate Ben L. Barco adjourned the trial to continue today June 11,2025 @9am.
The state was represented by Cllr. Augustine Fayiah, Solicitor General, Cllr. Jerry Garlawolu, Assistant Minister for Letigation, Cllr. Richard Scott, Montserrado County Attorney, Jona Kerkula among others. While the defendants were represented by Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi, Cllr. Wilkins Wright, Atty.Safia Mai Gray and CDC chairman Atty. Janka Kowo and others.