Koffa & others full trial begins today

Hearings into the Capitol Building arson attack case involving former House Speaker Cllr. Koffa and others are expected to start today after a lower court upheld that the state has enough evidence to move the case forward.

By Lincoln G. Peters 

Capitol Hill, June 16, 2025: A full trial into the Capitol Building fire incident is expected to begin today at Criminal Court “C”, Temple of Justice following the transferred of the case there based on a lower court ruling Friday, June 13.

On Friday, June 13, 2025, the Monrovia City Court ruled against former House Speaker Cllr. Fonati Koffa and three others setting the bases for trial..

At a preliminary hearing, Magistrate Ben Barco found that the prosecution established a prima facie case, which means there is enough evidence to move the case to Criminal Court “C” for a full trial.

Magistrate Barco explained that the standard is not proof beyond reasonable doubt, but a reasonable ground to suspect the accused committed a crime.

The defendants, including representatives Dixon Seeboe, Abu B Kamara, Fonati Koffa, and Jacob C. Debbie, face charges related to a conspiracy to purchase explosives and gasoline.

These items were allegedly used to set fire to the House of Representatives joint chamber on December 18, 2024. The case is expected to now proceed to the next level of the judiciary for a full trial today.

Speaking in a telephone interview over the weekend on the Hot seat midnight conversation following the preliminary trial, Solicitor General Cllr. Augustine C. Fayiah was full of confidence that the evidence in the possession of the Government can prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the accused lawmakers are liable for the arson at the Capitol Building.

Speaking further on the same program, Cllr. Fayiah assured Liberians that nobody will escape from the law under this current administration. He added that government has a robust prosecuting team that are trained and ready to deal with any criminal cases. 

“We are up to the task. What we are worried about is the facts, the facts in the case and not the monetary support. We are paid and because we are paid, we are to perform what we are paid for. I want you to know that, giving the level of training of our prosecutors and the evidence we have, even the Defense knows that they can’t come and challenge this evidence. We told the Défense on cross examination that they recruited people from New Kru Town, and they didn’t challenge that with a question. In the criminal justice system, if you don’t challenge you have accepted,” Cllr. Fayiah noted. 

Cllr. Fayiah further argued that the evidence in the possession of the state has been thoroughly investigated and texted and therefore the prosecution is certain that with such evidence it would prove its case during the actual trial at Criminal Court “C”.

The Solicitor Genera also bragged that the state evidence in question is not based on social media or artificial intelligence as claimed by the defence counsel.

“What has happened in this country regarding the burning of the Capitol Building should be taken very seriously. When former President Charles Taylor came with the war, I was living Jallah Town, and the legislature was not touched. That place is for everyone because everyone is represented at that place. Because of that, we are taking this seriously,” he noted. 

Accordingly, Cllr. Fayiah disagreed with the opinion regarding material evidence of voice and video recordings not being permissible in court, adding that they followed all the legal proceedings in presenting their evidence and subpoenaed was done and therefore, they are not concern with out of court sentiment. 

“How can someone say there is no evidence, and they are social media when people were seen taking the gasoline to the Capitol Building. Also, people were recruited from New Kru Town and other places to implement, for which people were named and testified. This is a serious thing. The defendants accused themselves. In fact, where they are, they are regretting what they did,” he opined. 

Commenting on the question regarding police officers’ presence at the Capitol Building on the night of the fire incident, Cllr. Fayiah pointed out that these are details of the case that he can’t analyse outside of the trial. Rather, it is something the persecution will speak to in court to prevent the Défense from having upper hands. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.