-LNBA Breaks Silence on Lawmakers’ Arrest
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson, I.In the wake of mounting political tension over the recent arrest of four sitting lawmakers, the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) on Monday, June 9, 2025, called on all actors and the public to exercise restraint, due process, and unwavering adherence to the rule of law, noting: “is above the law.” The LNBA has since been slammed for what many see as its biased opinions on critical national especially when it involves the government’s interest.
The National Bar statement follows the dramatic arrest and formal charges levied by the Liberia National Police (LNP) against Representatives J. Fonati Koffa (Grand Kru County), Abu Kamara (Montserrado County District #15), Dixon W. Seboe (Montserrado County District #16), and Jacob C. Debee (Grand Gedeh County), in connection to the December 18, 2024 arson attack on the Joint Chambers of the Capitol Building—a brazen incident that has rocked the political establishment to its core.
The LNBA, through its President Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah emphasized that while the charges against lawmakers are serious, the principles of due process and the presumption of innocence must remain sacrosanct. “No person, regardless of title, status, political affiliation, age, or religion, is above the law. At the same time, every individual is entitled to due process and equal protection under the law,” the Bar’s statement reads in part.
The arrest of Hon. J. Fonati Koffa—former Deputy Speaker and a legal practitioner himself—has particularly sent shockwaves through both the political and legal communities. Koffa, once Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a former Minister of State without Portfolio, is widely regarded as a seasoned lawmaker with a controversial past. His arrest, alongside three other influential legislators, has raised both legal and constitutional questions about parliamentary immunity and the procedures for criminal charges against sitting lawmakers.
Yet, the legal fraternity has remained cautious. The LNBA is calling on the Ministry of Justice to maintain the “highest level of professionalism, impartiality, and legal integrity,” noting that the credibility of Liberia’s democratic institutions is at stake.
“The process must be transparent, credible, and consistent with constitutional guarantees, especially the rights of the accused to a fair and impartial trial,” the LNBA stressed.
This is not the first time in Liberia’s post-war democratic history that sitting lawmakers have found themselves entangled in serious criminal allegations. In 2007, the House of Representatives was rocked by corruption claims implicating lawmakers in bribery schemes involving concession agreements. More recently, the 2019 “Save the State” protest emerged in response to perceived corruption and impunity within the political elite, including members of the National Legislature.
However, the Capitol arson case is unprecedented in its symbolism and scope. The Joint Chambers—widely seen as the heart of Liberia’s legislative authority—has never before been the site of such a direct and destructive attack. That such an act could allegedly involve elected officials has deepened public cynicism about the rule of law and the state of governance in Liberia.
In the face of an increasingly polarized public discourse, the LNBA’s intervention is both timely and vital. The Association has issued a clear warning against the politicization of the legal process, asserting that any effort to manipulate the proceedings or incite public unrest could have dire consequences for the country’s fragile peace.
“The LNBA calls on all political parties and stakeholders to refrain from any acts or utterances that could incite the public, interfere with the administration of justice, or undermine national peace and security,” it stated.
The Bar’s message also carried a rebuke to social media influencers and partisan operatives who have been circulating unverified narratives about the case, further fueling public division.
Liberia, a country still navigating the delicate path of post-conflict reconstruction, finds itself at a legal and moral crossroads. The fire at the Capitol Building is more than just an act of destruction; it has become a test of the country’s institutional maturity, rule of law, and the capacity of its democracy to withstand internal shocks.
The Bar Association’s concluding remarks serve as a poignant reminder of Liberia’s historical journey—from civil war to fragile peace, and now to a test of judicial fortitude. “Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done,” Cllr. Varmah asserted.
As the country waits for the wheels of justice to turn, the LNBA’s call may serve not just as legal counsel, but as a clarion call for national sobriety: “There can be no peace without justice, and no justice without the rule of law.”
