-Insists He’s ‘No Flight Risk’
By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Grand Kru Legislative Caucus has formally appealed to Liberia’s Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary to release former House Speaker and current District #2 Representative, Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, on his personal recognizance, arguing that his status as a high-ranking lawmaker means he poses no risk of fleeing prosecution.
Koffa, a member of the Caucus, is facing criminal charges, including alleged arson, in a case brought by the Liberian government. In a statement issued June 7, 2024, his colleagues expressed deep concern over his detention, insisting that the charges against him are bailable under Article 21(d) of Liberia’s 1986 Constitution. “As a former Speaker and sitting lawmaker, Cllr. Koffa is a man of standing who will not evade justice,” the Caucus asserted.
The lawmakers emphasized that Koffa’s continued detention contradicts legal norms, given his position and the nature of the allegations. They also called for a fair and transparent judicial process, stressing that his rights as an accused person must be fully respected.
“The state must ensure that the legal proceedings are impartial and that Cllr. Koffa’s fundamental rights are protected,” the statement read. “We stand firmly with him during this difficult time and trust that the courts will ultimately exonerate him.”
The case has sparked debate over the treatment of high-profile defendants in Liberia’s justice system, with some legal experts supporting the Caucus’s argument that bail should be granted in non-violent cases, while others caution against preferential treatment for political figures. Meanwhile, the Caucus urged residents of Grand Kru County to remain calm and refrain from unrest as the legal process unfolds. “We call on all citizens to stand in solidarity with Cllr. Koffa and allow the law to take its course,” the statement concluded.
The case traces back to the early hours of December 18, 2024, when a massive fire broke out in the Capitol Building, gutting sections of the legislative chambers. The Liberia National Fire Service, with support from other agencies, battled the flames for hours before bringing them under control.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, who visited the scene that same day, condemned the incident, framing it as an attack on the nation’s stability. “We are a poor country, and people are trying to help us, yet others are bent on destroying it,” Boakai said. “We have directed the Ministry of Justice and all security apparatus to investigate. Those found responsible will face the full weight of the law.”
By January 2025, Liberia’s Joint Security announced that forensic analysis confirmed the fire was intentionally set. Police Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman cited unusual burn patterns and containers of explosive materials found at the scene as key evidence. “We have identified persons of interest,” Coleman stated at the time
However, the manner of the arrests has drawn sharp criticism. Several lawmakers were summoned to police headquarters at 9:00 AM on Friday, February 2, 2025, but were not formally charged until 5:00 PM, after courts had closed for the weekend. This delay ensured they would remain in detention until at least Monday, a tactic opposition figures decry as punitive and politically motivated.
The government’s handling of the case has intensified tensions, with opposition leaders accusing the Boakai administration of targeting political rivals. Senator Augustine Chea (Sinoe County) slammed the arrests as “selective justice,” warning of echoes from Liberia’s repressive past. Telia Urey, Vice Chair of the All Liberian Party (ALP), condemned the “arbitrary detention and politically motivated persecution of opposition figures.”
Four of Liberia’s major opposition parties have jointly demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of the four lawmakers detained by police amid an investigation into the Capitol Building fire, denouncing the government’s actions as a dangerous politicization of justice. The Alternative National Congress (ANC), Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), and Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) issued a statement on Friday, accusing authorities of targeting opposition figures—Honorables J. Fonati Koffa, Dixon W. Seboe, Abu Kamara, and Jacob Debee II—without due process.
The lawmakers were held at the Liberia National Police (LNP) headquarters for nearly 12 hours on June 6, raising fears of imminent arrest in what the coalition called a “blatant abuse of power.” “The government’s actions are not only undemocratic but a direct threat to Liberia’s hard-won peace,” the statement read. “Detaining lawmakers who pose no flight risk, without formal charges, mirrors the oppressive tactics of past regimes.”
The opposition alliance warned that the prolonged detention of the lawmakers—reportedly in connection with the Capitol Building fire investigation—appeared timed to intimidate critics ahead of key political developments. They argued that while accountability is necessary, the probe must remain impartial and free from political interference. “Summoning lawmakers at dawn and holding them until nightfall, with clear intent to incarcerate them, is not justice—it is persecution,” the statement continued. “Liberia cannot afford to relapse into an era where the judiciary serves as a tool for silencing dissent.”
