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“Laughable”: Koffa Reacts to Change of Venue in Arson Trial as Chamber Justice Ends Conference on Juror Disbandment
By Lincoln G. Peters
Temple of Justice, Monrovia, Liberia, March 5, 2026 – Former House Speaker, Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa has described the prosecution’s request before Criminal Court “A” for a change of venue in the high-profile Capitol Building arson trial as “laughable,” insisting the government lacks evidence to convince the court and the public.
Speaking to judicial reporters on the grounds of the Temple of Justice after a chamber conference with Associate Justice Yussif D. Kabah and the prosecution regarding the disbandment of the jury, Cllr. Koffa said, “It’s laughable because the prosecution claimed they have overwhelming evidence, which they say is strong anywhere.”
He continued, “The whole change of venue thing is laughable because of their issues. Now, what is the issue? You have all the overwhelming evidence, proceedings are ongoing, and now you come back and say you want a change of venue. To go where? I want to know, where will you go that will be in your favor or change the evidence in the case?”
Cllr. Koffa challenged the prosecution, stating that they had no evidence and pointing out that their first witness in open court proved there was no case against him. Despite this, he lamented, the prosecution is still seeking to change the venue and disband the jury.
“All we want is for the case to be tried to prove our innocence and expose the government’s lies and so-called overwhelming evidence,” Koffa disclosed.
He confirmed his willingness to go to any venue if the court grants the prosecution’s request, but clarified he is unwilling to “play the game until the prosecution wins.”
“Let’s get all the evidence you say you have and put it to the test, and let the verdict come out. But now, saying you want a change of venue and don’t want this jury because they ask hard questions, and you don’t want to be in Montserrado because too many people are involved—what next?” Koffa asked.
Providing an update on the chamber conference, Koffa explained that during discussions with the chamber justice and prosecution, his team argued that the jury was disbanded illegally.
“I think this may be a bad analogy, but I have to use it. Imagine the game starts, you have a very good team, and twenty minutes into the game they say they don’t like the linesman. Then the referee decides that we can start the game over. This is the situation,” Koffa added.
He called the disbandment of the jury a fundamental issue of fairness, arguing that the trial was ongoing when the jury was disbanded, and that overwhelming evidence was ignored. “Even if the jurors didn’t have the weight of the evidence, the overwhelming evidence should convince them.”
“To disband the jurors, we thought it was a fundamental fairness issue; that is not what our Constitution says, so we came to the Supreme Court,” he lamented.
Asked if he sensed any ulterior motive, Koffa replied that he did not, reiterating his claim that the prosecution has no overwhelming evidence to convince the public.
“Now, they have come to court begging for a change of venue because the media is involved. Who had the first press conference on this case? It was the Police Director. Even if they take this case to Chamber Two, they still don’t have a case, and the verdict will be not guilty. Listen, they don’t have a case,” he asserted.
